your appearance in Dornlitz is, I suppose, in the interest of
truth?" I mocked.

She looked at me very steadily, a moment.

"At any rate, you must admit it was well for truth and decency that I
did appear."

"We but waste each other's time, Mrs. Spencer," I answered curtly, and
nodded to Moore.

But she gave no heed to the Aide's proffered arm. She did not even
glance at him, but leaned back on the chair, swinging her foot and
looking as insolently tantalizing as possible. It was a very pretty
pose.

"I may be very stupid, Armand," she said, "but, I cannot understand
why, if my presence in Dornlitz is so annoying to you, you prevent me
leaving it."

I smiled. "At last," said I, "we are coming to the point."

"As though you hadn't guessed it from the first," she laughed.

"Unfortunately, I have not Mrs. Spencer's keenness of intuition," I
returned.

She glanced over at my desk.

"The Governor of Dornlitz needs none. Official reports are better than
intuition."

"But not so rapid," I replied.

She smiled. "I was looking at the telephone," she said dryly.

"An admirable medium for unpleasant conversations," I observed.

"Particularly, between husband and wife, you mean."

I answered with a shrug.

"And, also, between the city gates and headquarters," she continued.

"You are pleased to speak in riddles," I said.

She let herself sink, with sinuous grace, into the chair.

I sighed, with suggestive audibility, and waited.

It was a good deal of a cat and dog business--and the cat was having
all the fun--and knew it.

I could not well have her dragged from the room; and the other
alternative--to leave, myself--was not to my taste. It looked too much
like flight.

"I wish you would explain why I am not permitted to leave Dornlitz,"
she said.

"Have you been restrained from leaving?" I asked.

"Still pretending ignorance, my dear," she laughed. "Well, then, I was
refused exit at the North gate this morning; and that, though I was
only going for a short drive in the country."

"Why didn't you try another gate?" I asked.

"I did--three others."

"With similar results?"

"Absolutely."

"Therefore, you inferred?" I asked.

"Nothing, my dear Armand, nothing. I know. At one of the gates, the
officer condescended to tell me that he was acting under the express
order of Field Marshal, His Royal Highness the Governor of Dornlitz."

"And he told you the truth," I said.

"Of course he