of my sight, but beyond recall. Three
months from to-day I shall write to you, but until then I must not know
your address. Three months from to-day you may be at 'Idle Times,' where
I first told you I loved you ... where we told each other ... if you
still wish to be. Then, if I decide that I am free, you will find my
letter there. If I'm not free, I had better not even write. I couldn't
write without calling you back. If I have to decide that way--" She
broke off with a shudder. "Oh, you must go--Dear!--you must go
quickly--! It is the only way you can help me."

A half-hour later, Benton turned to the approaching Von Ritz.

"Colonel," he said steadily, "I sail for San Francisco by way of Suez
from the first port we reach. You will favor me by accepting the _Isis_
as long as Her Majesty can use it."

Von Ritz met his eyes in silence and held out his hand.

CHAPTER XXVIII

JUSSERET MAKES A REPORT

In Paris a small party of gentlemen, among whom were represented all the
national types of Southern Europe, were engaged in an informal
discussion of very formal affairs. They occupied a private suite in the
Hotel Ritz overlooking the column of the _Place Vendome_. Upon a table
swept clean of draperies and bric-a-brac lay an outstretched map of the
Mediterranean littoral, whereon a small peninsula had been marked with
certain experimental and revised boundaries in red and blue and black.
The atmosphere was thick with the smoke from cigars and cigarettes, and
through the veneering amenities of much courtesy the gentlemen of
Europe's _Cabinets Noirs_ wrangled with insistence. Finally Monsieur
Jusseret took the floor, and the others dropped respectfully into an
attitude of listening.

"It is hardly necessary," he began, "to discuss what has been done in
Galavia. That is long since a stale story. Our governments, acting in
concert, made it possible to remove Karyl and crown Louis." He smiled
quietly. "You know how short a reign Louis enjoyed before death claimed
him. Perhaps you do not know that his death was not unforeseen by me."

There was an outburst of exclamations under which France's
representative remained unmoved.

"Our object," he explained coldly, "was the disruption of Galavia's
integrity. In reducing this Kingdom to a province, the supplanting of
Karyl with Louis was essential only as an initial step. The instability
of that government had to be demonstrated to the world by more
continuous disorde