irritably, "and I rather like his face."

"Erasmus!" was all Mrs. Ebley could say, and prepared to return to
her room. Dinner would be at a quarter to eight, she told Stella
at her door, and recommended an hour's quiet reading up of the
guide-book while resting to her niece.

It was quarter after six before Miss Rawson descended the stairs
to the hall again. She had deliberately made up her mind--she
would go and drive with the count. She would live and amuse
herself, if it was only for this once in her life, come what might
of it! And since he would be presented with all respectable
ceremony at the English Embassy the following night, it could not
matter a bit--and if it did--! Well, she did not care!

He was sitting there as immovable as before, and she thrilled as
she crossed the hall. She was so excited and frightened that she
could almost have turned back when she reached the street, but
there, standing by the trees, was a large blue motor car, and as
she advanced the chauffeur stepped forward and opened the door,
and she got in--and before she had time to realize what she had
done, Count Roumovski had joined her and sat down by her side.

"You have no wrap," he said. "I thought you would not have, so I
had prepared this," and he indicated a man's gray Russian,
unremarkable-looking cloak, which, however, proved to be lined
with fine sable, "and here, also, is a veil. If you will please me
by putting them on, we can then have the auto open and no one will
recognize you--even should we meet your uncle and aunt; that is
fun, is it not?"