s extremely fond of me. Oh! if you had heard all
his pretty love phrases! I suppose he has learnt them out of a book.
They couldn't be his own. Germans are not romantic--how can they be? But
he--ah! he is Adonis in the flesh--with corsets!" And we laughed merrily
together.

"He thinks you are fond of him--eh?"

"Why, of course. He made violent love to me at Vichy. But he was not
attache then."

"And how am I to treat him when he calls to-morrow?"

"As your bosom friend. Give him confidence--the most perfect confidence.
Don't play the jealous husband yet. That will come afterwards. _Bon
soir, m'sieur_;" and when I had bowed over her soft little hand, she
turned and swept out of the room with a loud _frou-frou_ of her silken
train.

That night I sat before the fire smoking for a long time. My companions
were evidently playing some deep game upon this young German, a game in
which neither trouble nor expense was being spared--a game in which the
prize was a level thousand pounds apiece all round. I quite appreciated
that I had now become an adventurer, but I had done so out of pure love
of adventure.

About four o'clock next afternoon the Captain came to take
"fif-o'-clock," as he called it. He clicked his heels together as he
bowed over Valentine's hand, and she smiled upon him even more sweetly
than she had smiled at me when I had helped her into my leather
motor-coat. She wore a beautiful toilette, one of the latest of
Doeillet's she had explained to me, and really presented a delightfully
dainty figure as she sat there pouring out tea, and chatting with the
infatuated Captain of Cuirassiers.

I saw quickly that I was not wanted; therefore I excused myself, and
went for a stroll along to the Cafe Metropole, afterwards taking a turn
up the Montagne de la Cour. All day I had been on the look-out to see
either Bindo or his companions, but they were evidently in hiding.

When I returned, just in time to dress for dinner, I asked Valentine
what progress her lover was making, but she merely replied--

"Slow--very slow. But in things of this magnitude one must have
patience. We are invited to the Embassy ball in honour of the Crown
Prince of Saxony to-morrow night. It will be amusing."

Next night she dressed in a gown of pale rose chiffon, and we went to
the Embassy, where one of the most brilliant balls of the season was in
progress, King Leopold himself being present to honour the Crown Prince.
Captain Stolberg