which your mother presides. Have you any
reason to offer, or excuse to urge, why I should not ask this young
woman to leave at daybreak?"

"I have no excuse, sir," Julian answered, "I certainly have a reason."

"Name it?"

"Because you would be putting an affront upon the lady who has promised
to become my wife. I am quite aware that her presence in my sitting room
is unusual, but under the circumstances I do not feel called upon to
offer a general explanation. I shall say nothing beyond the fact that
a single censorious remark will be considered by me as an insult to my
affianced wife."

The Princess abandoned her chorus of mournful sounds and dried her eyes.
Lord Waltenby was speechless.

"But why all this mystery?" the Princess asked pitifully. "It is a great
event, this. Why did you not tell me, Catherine, when you came to my
room?"

"There has been some little misunderstanding," Julian explained. "It is
now removed. It brought us," he added, "very near tragedy. After what I
have told you, I beg whatever may seem unusual to you in this visit with
which Catherine has honoured me will be forgotten."

Lord Maltenby drew a little breath of relief. Fortunately, he missed
that slight note of theatricality in Julian's demeanour which might have
left the situation still dubious.

"Very well, then, Julian," he decided, "there is nothing more to be said
upon the matter. Miss Abbeway, you will allow me to escort you to your
room. Such further explanations as you may choose to offer us can be
very well left now until the morning."

"You will find that the whole blame for this unconventional happening
devolves upon me," Julian declared.

"It was entirely my fault," Catherine murmured repentantly. "I am so
sorry to have given any one cause for distress. I do not know, even
now--"

She turned towards Julian. He leaned forward and raised her fingers to
his lips.

"Catherine," he said, "every one is a little overwrought. Our
misunderstanding is finished. Princess, I shall try to win your
forgiveness to-morrow."

The Princess smiled faintly.

"Catherine is so unusual," she complained.

Julian held open the door, and they all filed away down the corridor,
from which Lord Shervinton had long since beat a hurried retreat. He
stood there until they reached the bend. Catherine, who was leaning
on his father's arm, turned around. She waved her hand a little
irresolutely. She was too far off for him to catch her express