s
relationship," I said.

She regarded me with an amused smile. "Which means, if it become
known, I alone could be the tattler."

There was no need to press the point further.

"It is His Majesty's secret as well as mine," I said, as if in
explanation.

She shrugged her pretty shoulders. "I shall keep it because
it's--yours," she answered.

There was no doubt Lady Helen could be fetching when she was so minded.

I took her hand and kissed it. Then I glanced around for onlookers.

Lady Helen laughed softly. "You men always do that," she said.

"Oh!" said I.

"You look only after it's all over."

"Oh!" said I, again.

"At least, so I have observed," she admitted, frankly.

"You mean such has been your experience?"

"Well," said she, with a mischievous gleam in her grey eyes, "wasn't it
so just now?"

I got up and looked carefully around. No one was very near and we were
in the shadow. I leaned over and quickly kissed her on the cheek.

"It wasn't so that time," I said.

She sat perfectly quiet for a bit.

"Let us hope," she said, at length; "let us hope that your eyes were
trustworthy. Otherwise----"

"Yes?" I questioned.

"Otherwise our engagement must be announced or----"

"Yes?"

"You must give me the chance to cut you publicly, after which you must
leave Dornlitz."

Here was a mess, sure enough. Yet, I was in for it--as most fools
usually are.

"Which shall it be?" I said gayly.

She leaned close and looked me in the eyes. And beside her winsome
face I saw, in my mind's eye, the Princess's, too--but only for an
instant. Then I took her hand again. She smiled sweetly, almost as
sweetly as Dehra herself could do.

"Let us wait until we know if we were seen," she said.

I made a move to kiss her again, but she drew away.

"Not so, sir; that time you did not look," she said, and stepped out
into the light. Then I took her back to Lady Radnor.

"Don't be disconsolate, Major," she said, as we parted. "No one saw
you--on the terrace."

I looked down at her gravely. "I am beginning to hope someone did," I
said.

She shot a quick glance at me over her fan. "Are you tired of Dornlitz
so soon?" she asked.

"I think I want to stay in Dornlitz," I answered.

"But the alternative, Major, the alternative."

"That is why I want to stay."

She smiled. "You did that very prettily," she said. "I shall forgive
you the--the kiss."

"But if someone saw it?" I protested.