led for his valet de chambre, whom he cursed roundly for not seeing that there was a gap between the s

e of his servant as he went about his duties. The brows of the duke were contracted as though in pain, which was not

ém

your g

'clock

to one, y

rs and chocolate at

lept fitfully, until Rémy woke him and placed a little table containing a silver chocolate service by his e

anese dressing-gown, and drew up a commodious arm-chair to the fire. Rémy, hearing the movement, followed

a small drawer in the dressing-table. The duke was thereby enabled to piece together, by the evidence of the articles, the hazy threads

s-some loose gold and silver-a pair of white kid gloves torn to ribbons, and a little gold-

kind of recollection of having seen it before, that was all. It contained a little lace handkerc

suer stood before the cheval glass in his room whilst he s

ith crisp hair of a dark brown, almost black, curling back from an intelle

hands were rather large, but with tapering fingers; the feet, in their patent leather boots with suède cloth uppers, were long and thin. An aristocrat every inch of him, and a dandy withal, but yet with a suggested air of st

n he crossed to the board containing letters and telegrams and glanced idly over them. It was here that he re

ent to his room the night before. His friend, the Viscount Mersac, had been with

h gold-rimmed spectacles was interviewing the clerk in charge. He tu

id. "You ha

this is the gentleman who has advertised. It

springing up between the duke and Mr. Edward Sydney, an acquaintance which permitted

ite motor-car had refused to budge from in front of the entrance, and the girl and her foster-mother had had to walk round it to their waiting fi

join him in a spin in the lovely car to Barbizon. It was when he was driving his engine that the duke showed to his best advantage and told clearly that

e sport, and the novelty of it all was, to her, wonderful. The long, straight, white roads fringed with tall poplars, and the absence of speed-limit, showed her motoring at it

endale tucked up cosily by his side. Edward, who invariably sat with the chauffeur in the tonneau, enjoyed these exhilarating spins as much as any

r private drawing-room. Anna was writing in her own room, and the opportunity was t

will go through to Madrid, I think. It is a lit

re, and old Spain can wait. When I get to San Pietro there'll be a

you are so loath

ticed by her self-appointed guardian. He rose and straighten

t delight in the company

into the girl's eyes, but she rose and

I-I-do like him; but I like you, too, and I wouldn

to see how things are in your country. A duke is a good match for Mi

ne of the long windows at the twilight settling do

feelings, Galva, but the young man keeps shocking hours. I saw him come in at three this morning. I don't think he was quite

weren't you in

ve a litt

n sitting up reading. I don't sleep very we

away so that he shou

nt, guardy, but he's most

onsort for a queen. You see, I have to look after your des

on

We ought to be able to manage it by that time, whatever happens. I must ask you not to tell him where we are going. We don't know how the land lie

that I will never see Armand-I mean the Duc de Choleaux Lasuer again, b

carry out my duty to Mr. Baxendale to give you to the first man we meet, even if he is a duke. Besides, if he mea

lked to the fireplace. For some moments he stood, his legs well apar

London Bridge, and as he glanced round the sumptuous furnishings of the room he now found himself in and compared it to Belitha Villas, the sm

with a vengeance from the time when you were a poor little clerk at forty-five bob

ed himself and went to hi

*

of them, a young man of twenty-five was moodily stirring his spoon round and round

long time,"

ly known me a

oleaux Lasuer

I've been a bit of a 'rotter' as you English call it, but things are

thout the aid of t

poon through the bot

e about it in the morning. I didn't know it was t

-wh

come to the Opera with me, that's

before the fact or something-look, there

va

t forget t

t forget to-morrow, du

that night as he dressed him for dinner. But then Rémy was not paid to un