looked steadily at the girl.

"Did she take anything with her?"

The girl hesitated. Lady Carey frowned.

"It must be the truth, remember, Marie."

"Certainly, my lady! She took her small dressing-case."

Lady Carey set her teeth hard. Then with a movement of her head she
dismissed the maid. She walked restlessly up and down the room. Then she
stopped short with a hard little laugh.

"If I give way like this," she murmured, "I shall be positively hideous,
and after all, if she was there it was not possible for him--"

She stopped short, and suddenly tearing the handkerchief which she had
been carrying into shreds threw the pieces upon the floor, and stamped
upon them. Then she laughed shortly, and turned towards the door.

"Now I must go and get rid of that poor fool outside," she said. "What a
bungler!"

Brott was beside himself with impatience.

"Lucille is here," she announced, stepping in beside him. "She has a
shocking headache and has gone to bed. As a matter of fact, I believe
that she was expecting to hear from you."

"Impossible!" he answered shortly. He was beginning to distrust this
woman.

"Never mind. You can make it up with her to-morrow. I was foolish to be
anxious about her at all. Are you coming in again?"

They were at Carmarthen House. He handed her out.

"No, thanks! If you will allow me I will wish you good-night."

She made her way into the ball-room, and found the Prince of Saxe
Leinitzer, who was just leaving.

"Do you know where Lucille is?" she asked.

He looked up at her sharply. "Where?"

"At the Carlton Hotel--with him."

He rose to his feet with slow but evil promptitude. His face just then
was very unlike the face of an angel. Lady Carey laughed aloud.

"Poor man," she said mockingly. "It is always the same when you and
Souspennier meet."

He set his teeth.

"This time," he muttered, "I hold the trumps."

She pointed at the clock. It was nearly four. "She was there at eleven,"
she remarked drily.

CHAPTER XXII

"His Highness, the Prince of Saxe Leinitzer!"

Duson stood away from the door with a low bow. The Prince--in the
buttonhole of whose frock-coat was a large bunch of Russian violets,
passed across the threshold. Mr. Sabin rose slowly from his chair.

"I fear," the Prince said suavely, "that I am an early visitor. I can
only throw myself upon your indulgence and plead the urgency of my
mission."

His arrival appeared to have interrupted a late