o none other.

The care of a woman and the worry of another household seemed unbearable
to him. Besides, what could he do with Jeanne? The presence of his
mistress would prevent his being able to go back to Micheline. And now
he felt that his only hope of safety was in Micheline's love for him.

But first of all he must go and see if Herzog had returned, and
ascertain the real facts of the position in regard to the Universal
Credit Company.

Herzog occupied a little house on the Boulevard Haussmann, which he had
hired furnished from some Americans. The loud luxury of the Yankees had
not frightened him. On the contrary, he held that the gay colors of the
furniture and the glitter of the gilded cornices were bound to have a
fascination for prospective shareholders. Suzanne had reserved a little
corner for herself, modestly hung with muslin and furnished with simple
taste, which was a great contrast to the loud appearance of the other
part of the house.

On arriving, Serge found a stableman washing a victoria. Herzog
had returned. The Prince quietly went up the steps, and had himself
announced.

The financier was sitting in his study by the window, looking through
the newspapers. When Serge entered he rose. The two men stood facing
each other for a moment. The Prince was the first to speak.

"How is it that you have kept me without news during your absence?"
asked he, harshly.

"Because," replied Herzog, calmly, "the only news I had was not good
news."

"At least I should have known it."

"Would the result of the operation have been different?"

"You have led me like a child in this affair," Serge continued, becoming
animated. "I did not know where I was going. You made me promises, how
have you kept them?"

"As I was able," quietly answered Herzog. "Play has its chances. One
seeks Austerlitz and finds Waterloo."

"But," cried the Prince, angrily, "the shares which you sold ought not
to have gone out of your hands."

"You believed that?" retorted the financier, ironically. "If they ought
not to have gone out of my hands it was hardly worth while putting them
into them."

"In short," said Panine, eager to find some responsible party on whom
he could pour out all the bitterness of his misfortune, "you took a mean
advantage of me."

"Good! I expected you to say that!" returned Herzog, smiling. "If the
business had succeeded, you would have accepted your share of the spoil
without any scruples, and would h