bt. We shall pace the platform. Very fit Rudolph's looking, isn't
he, Baroness? You've no idea how his lungs have strengthened."

"His lungs!" exclaimed the Baroness in a changed voice.

Giving the Baron a wink to indicate that there lay the ace of trumps, he
answered reassuringly--

"When you learn how he has improved you'll forgive me, I'm sure, for
taking him on this little trip. Well, see you somewhere down the line,
no doubt--I'm going by the same train."

He watched them pass into the waiting-room, and then turned an altered
face to the two dumbfounded girls. It was expressive now solely of
sympathy and contrition.

"Let us walk a little this way," he began, and thus having removed them
safely from earshot of the waiting-room door, he addressed himself to
the severest part of his task.

"My dear girls, I owe you I don't know how many apologies for presuming
to claim you as my friends. The acuteness of the emergency is my only
excuse, and I throw myself most contritely upon your mercy!"

This second projection of himself upon a lady's mercy proved as
successful as the first.

"Well," said Eleanor slowly, "I guess maybe we can forgive you for that;
but what I want to know is--what's happened?--who's who?--and where just
exactly are we?"

"That's just what I want to know too," added Eva sadly.

Indeed, they both had a hint of tears in their eyes, and in their
voices.

"What has happened," replied the Count, "is that a couple of thoughtless
masqueraders came up here to play a little joke, and succeeded in
getting themselves into a scrape. For your share in getting us out of it
we cannot feel too grateful."

"But, who is----?" the girls began together, and then stopped, with a
rise of color and a suspicion of displeasure in their interchange of
eyes.

"Who is who? Well, my friend is the Baron von Blitzenberg; and the lady
is, as she stated, his wife."

"Then all this time----" began Eva.

"He was married!" Eleanor finished for her. "Oh, the heartless
scoundrel! To think that I rescued him!"

"I wouldn't have either!" said Eva; "I mean if--if I had known he
treated you so badly."

"Treated ME! I was only thinking of YOU, Miss Gallosh!"

"Dear ladies!" interposed the Count with his ready tact, "remember his
excuse."

"His excuse?"

"The beauty, the charm, the wit of the lady who took by storm a heart
not easily captured! He himself, poor fellow, thought it love-proof; but
he had not then met H