u
keep me always at arm's length. You are making a mistake. Indeed you
are. I suppose you do not trust me. Yet reflect Have I ever told you
anything that was not true? Have I ever tried to deceive you? I don't
pretend to be a paragon of the virtues. I live my life to please myself.
I admit it. Why not? It is simply applying the same sort of philosophy
to my life as you have applied to yours. My enemies can find plenty to
say about me--but never that I have been false to a friend. Why do you
keep me always at arm's length, as though I were one of those who wished
you evil?"

"Lady Carey," Mr. Sabin said, "I will not affect to misunderstand
you, and I am flattered that you should consider my good will of any
importance. But you are the friend of the Prince of Saxe Leinitzer. You
are one of those even now who are working actively against me. I am not
blaming you, but we are on opposite sides."

Lady Carey looked for a moment across at the Prince, and her eyes were
full of venom.

"If you knew," she murmured, "how I loathe that man. Friends! That is
all long since past. Nothing would give me so much pleasure as never to
see his face again."

"Nevertheless," Mr. Sabin reminded her, "whatever your private feelings
may be, he has claims upon you which you cannot resist."

"There is one thing in the world," she said in a low tone, "for which I
would risk even the abnegation of those claims."

"You would perjure your honour?"

"Yes--if it came to that."

Mr. Sabin moved uneasily in his chair. The woman was in earnest. She
offered him an invaluable alliance; she could show him the way to
hold his own against even the inimical combination by which he was
surrounded. If only he could compromise. But her eyes were seeking his
eagerly, even fiercely.

"You doubt me still," she whispered. "And I thought that you had genius.
Listen, I will prove myself. The Prince has one of his foolish passions
for Lucille. You know that. So far she has shown herself able to resist
his fascinations. He is trying other means. Lucille is in danger!
Duson!--but after all, I was never really in danger, except the time
when I carried the despatches for the colonel and rode straight into a
Boer ambush."

Mr. Sabin saw nothing, but he did not move a muscle of his face. A
moment later they heard the Prince's voice from behind them.

"I am very sorry," he said, "to interrupt these interesting
reminiscences, but you see that every one is going. L