rules of
the service compelled him thus to dress. But he needed no brass or cloth
of gold. There was not a male head among all the others to compare with
his.

He was an accomplished waltzer, after the manner of that day, when one
went round and round like some mechanical toy wound up. Strauss and
Waldteufel tingled his feet; and he whirled ambassadors' wives till they
were breathless and ambassadors' daughters till they no longer knew or
cared where they were. He was full of subtle deviltry this night, with
an undercurrent of malice toward every one and himself in particular.
This would be the last affair of the kind for him, and he wanted a full
memory of it. Between times he exchanged a jest or two with the
chancellor or talked battles with old Ducwitz; twice he caught the grand
duke's eye, but there was only a friendly nod from that august
personage, no invitation to talk. Thrice, while on the floor, her
highness passed him; but there was never a smile, never a glance. He
became careless and reckless. He would seek her and talk to her and
smile at her even if the duke threw a regiment in between. The Irish
blood in him burned to-night, capable of any folly. He no longer danced.
He waited and watched; and it was during one of these waits that he saw
Grumbach in the gallery.

"Now, what the devil is the Dutchman doing with a pair of
opera-glasses!"

It required some time and patience to discover the object of this
singular attention on the part of Grumbach. Carmichael was finally
convinced that this object was no less a person than her serene
highness!

Later her highness stood before one of the long windows in the
conservatory, listlessly watching the people in the square. And these
poor fools envied her! To envy her, who was a prisoner, a chattel to be
exchanged for war's immunity, who was a princess in name but a cipher in
fact! All was wrong with the world. She had stolen out of the ball-room;
the craving to be alone had been too strong. Little she cared whether
they missed her or not. She left the window and sat on one of the
divans, idly opening and shutting her fan. Was that some one coming for
her? She turned.

It was Carmichael.

What an opportunity for scandal! She laughed inwardly. The barons and
their wives, the ambassadors' wives and their daughters, would miss them
both. And the spirit of deviltry lay also upon her heart. She smiled at
the man and with her fan bade him be seated at her side. The