e the first, and
have appeared this second time, when she had almost forgotten him in the
press of other thoughts? Why should he be going where she was going, and
why should he have a friend who had known Algiers and Algeria since the
time when Saidee's letters had ceased?

All these arguments were childlike; but Victoria Ray had not passed far
beyond childhood; and though her ideas of religion were her
own--unlearned and unconventional--such as they were they meant
everything to her. Many things which she had heard in churches had
seemed unreal to the girl; but she believed that the Great Power moving
the Universe planned her affairs as well as the affairs of the stars,
and with equal interest. She thought that her soul was a spark given out
by that Power, and that what was God in her had only to call to the All
of God to be answered. She had called, asking to find Saidee, and now
she was going to find her, just how she did not yet know; but she hardly
doubted that Stephen Knight was connected with the way. Otherwise, what
was the good of him to her? And Victoria was far too humble in her
opinion of herself, despite that buoyant confidence in her star, to
imagine that she could be of any use to him. She could be useful to
Saidee; that was all. She hoped for nothing more. And little as she knew
of society, she understood that Stephen belonged to a different world
from hers; the world where people were rich, and gay, and clever, and
amused themselves; the high world, from a social point of view. She
supposed, too, that Stephen looked upon her as a little girl, while she
in her turn regarded him gratefully and admiringly, as from a distance.
And she believed that he must be a very good man.

It would never have occurred to Victoria Ray to call him, even in
thought, her "White Knight," as Margot Lorenzi persisted in calling him,
and had called him in the famous interview. But it struck her, the
moment she heard his name, that it somehow fitted him like a suit of
armour. She was fond of finding an appropriateness in names, and
sometimes, if she were tired or a little discouraged, she repeated her
own aloud, several times over: "Victoria, Victoria. I am Victoria,"
until she felt strong again to conquer every difficulty which might rise
against her, in living up to her name. Now she was of opinion that
Stephen's face would do very well in the picture of a young knight of
olden days, going out to fight for the True Cross. Ind