er's eyes. Poor little Virginia, so young, so
inexperienced, and, in spite of her self-will and recklessness, so
sweet and loving withal!

"But, dear, but, you are making the worst of things," the Grand
Duchess said soothingly, her hand on the girl's bright hair. "Why,
instead of crying you ought to be smiling, I think. Leopold must love
you desperately, or he would never have proposed marriage--even
morganatic marriage. Just at first, the idea must have shocked
you--knowing who you are. But remember, if you were Miss Mowbray, it
would have been a triumph. Many women of high position have married
Royalty morganatically, and every one has respected them. You seem to
forget that the Emperor knows you only as Helen Mowbray."

"He ought to have known that Helen Mowbray was not the girl to
consent--no, not more easily than Virginia of Baumenburg-Drippe. He
should have understood without telling, that to a girl with
Anglo-Saxon blood in her veins such an offer would be like a blow over
the heart."

"How should he understand? He is Rhaetian. His point of view--"

"His point of view to me is terrible. Oh, Mother, it's useless to
argue. Everything is spoiled. Of course if he knew I was Princess
Virginia, he would be sorry for what he had proposed, even if he
thought I'd brought it on myself. But then, it would be too late.
Don't you understand, I valued his love because it was given to _me_,
not the Princess? If he said, 'Now I know you, I can offer my right
hand instead of my left, to you as my wife,' that would not be the
same thing at all. No, there's nothing left but to go home; and the
Emperor of Rhaetia must be told that Virginia of Baumenburg-Drippe has
decided not to marry. That will be our one revenge--but a pitiful one,
since he'll never know that the Princess who refuses his right hand
and the Helen Mowbray who wouldn't take his left, are one and the
same. Oh Mother, I did love him so! Let us get out of this hateful
house as soon as we can."

The Grand Duchess knew her daughter, and abandoned hope. "Yes, if you
will not forgive him; we must go at once, and save our dignity if we
can," she said. "The telegram will give us our excuse. I told the
Baroness I had received bad news, and she asked permission to knock at
my door before going to bed, and inquire how I was feeling. She may
come at any moment. We must say that the telegram recalls us
immediately to England."

"Listen!" whispered Virginia. "I think there'