ally is!"

Hermione's face showed the distress she felt, and Steingall's
disposition was far too generous to permit of any further probing in
this direction when the inquiry gave pain to a young and
innocent-minded girl.

"To-morrow," he said grimly, "I may read several chapters of Count
Vassilan's life. But so much depends on this night's work. At any
minute--certainly within an hour--I shall have news which may be
affected most markedly by some chance hint supplied by you. I want you
to understand, Lady Hermione, that Mr. Curtis's share in the queer
tangle of the past few hours is not so simple or unimportant as you
seem to imagine. I believe he has been actuated by the best of
motives----"

"Oh, yes, I am sure of it," she broke in eagerly. "If I am fated never
to see him again after to-night I shall always remember him as a true
friend and gallant gentleman."

Steingall bit back the words which rose unbidden to his lips. He had
certainly been wallowing in romance since the telephone called him to
the Central Hotel, but even in the pages of fiction he had never found
a more wildly improbable theory than the likelihood of John Delancy
Curtis allowing any consideration short of death to separate him from
such a bride as Lady Hermione within the short space of time she
apparently regarded as the possible span of her married life.

"Ah," he murmured, "if he is wise he will call you to give evidence in
his behalf. Judges exercise a good deal of latitude in these matters."

"But will he be arrested for marrying me? If any wrong has been done
with respect to the marriage license, I am equally to blame," she said
loyally.

Steingall frowned judicially. Their conversation was approaching
perilously near the forbidden topic of de Courtois.

"In law, as in most affairs of life, it does no good to meet trouble
half way, your ladyship," he said. "Now, reverting to the Hungarian
prince--do you remember the names of any persons, of either sex, whom
he associated with in Paris? Of course, such a man would be widely
known in what is called society, but I want you to try and recall some
of his intimate friends."

"I believe you would find his boon companions in certain cafes on the
Grand Boulevard and in the vaudeville theaters on Montmartre; but would
it not help you a little if I told you of his enemies?"

"Most certainly."

"Well, I do happen to know that he is hated most cordially by the
Countess Marie Zap