thing that the
girl had not taken him at his word, for the Chancellor had not given
him permission to speak, and if she had accepted him, he might have
had to wriggle out of his engagement. Still, he could not forgive her
scorn of him.

"Lorenz shall help me to pay her for this!" he said furiously to
himself, too angry to mourn over lost hopes, lost opportunities. "He
will know how to punish her. And between us she shall suffer."

CHAPTER XII

"THE EMPEROR WILL UNDERSTAND"

It was for refuge that the Princess fled to her own room.

A boudoir shared by the Grand Duchess adjoined it, and entering there,
to her dismay the girl saw her mother lying on a sofa, attended by
Ernestine, the French maid.

Virginia's heart sank. She had supposed the Grand Duchess to be in the
white drawing-room with the Baroness, and the other guests of the
house. Now there was no hope that she might be left alone and
unquestioned. And the girl had longed to be alone.

"At last!" exclaimed a faint voice from the sofa. "I thought you would
never come."

The Princess stared, half-dazed, unable yet to tear her mind from her
private griefs. "Are you ill, Mother?" she stammered. "Had you sent
for me?"

"I came very near fainting in the drawing-room," the Grand Duchess
answered. "Ernestine, you may leave us now."

The French woman went out noiselessly.

Still Virginia did not speak. Could it be that there had been another
spy, beside Egon von Breitstein, and that her mother already knew how
the castle of cards had fallen? Was it the news of defeat which had
prostrated her?

"Have you--did any one tell you?" the girl faltered.

"I've had a telegram--a horrible telegram. Oh, Virginia, I am not
young, as you are. I am too old to endure all this. I think you should
not have subjected me to it."

The Grand Duchess's voice was plaintive, and pried among the girl's
sick nerves, like hot wire.

"What do you mean, dear? I don't understand," she said, dully. "I'm so
sorry you are ill. If it's my fault in any way, I--"

Her mother pointed toward a writing table. "The telegram is there,"
she murmured. "It is too distressing--too humiliating."

Virginia picked up a crumpled telegraph form and began to read the
message, which was dated London and written in English. "Some one
making inquiries here about the Mowbrays. Beg to advise you to explain
all at once, or leave Kronburg, to avoid almost certain complications.
Lambert."

Lady La