The Messenger

ecisive hours in his own fate, as well as that of his closest friend. It meant to him, perhaps more

ed sense of amusement and uneasiness. For this was about the time Miss von Schwarzenberg was astute enough to choose for her little tête-à-têtes with the private secretary-always elaborately accidental. Sir Willi

o to the writing table and consult Whitaker or Bradshaw. There was always a semblance of reasonableness in such preoccupation. For Lady McInt

as a rule, to a little harmless flirtation-even with a governess. But suppose this particular young woman should, with the fatal German sentimentality, be really falling in love. One day, as

. Only the timely entrance of a servant with a telegram had, Napier felt, saved him from a most inconvenient scene. He reflected anxiou

f the post was late, so w

t according to the clock, and not according to his own movements. He wa

ly. Wasn't she invariably here about two

was!-in her very feminine, rather Londony, clothes; her intensely white, plump neck rising out of a lace blou

ireplace, "Mr. Napier, I should

ewspaper, "Yes, Miss

yesterday ... the Pforzheims

said N

on in that heroine-of-melodrama style she sometimes affecte

calm seemed to de

r head dauntlessly on its short white neck as she confe

own the newsp

think, that being the case, it was v

as Andrews came in. Napier walked the length o

ve even then, until Napier found his keys, selected his duplicate, fitted it

to his own attractiveness her invariable drawing near while he transacted his business with the letter-bag. The little pause before Andrews left the room he had set down as a concession to the proprieties. More than ever-so he had read her-if she laid traps for little talks with the private secretary, was it important that the ser

ressed her handkerchief to her lips and raised her eyes. "I would have told you before-only-o

tone of polite surprise,

make it difficult. Wh

iced. "Perhaps you imagine it," he said, taking refuge in pul

sorting, Napier glanced at her, he discovered no listlessness in the eyes that kept tally of the letters

ppy under my enforced silence. I've wanted s

why I especial

od thing you don't. But I'm too unhappy under the innocent little deceit that's been forced on me. You see, we had quarreled, th

ong official envelope on th

so,"-she pressed her handkerchief again to her lips-"and so we met like that. I told them I wouldn't stay here an hour if they swerved a

"I expect," he said kindly, "it's

nd began again. "I-Maybe you've noticed...

the new sheet of blotting paper in fro

to make them see what an equivocal position it put

t on with

at old madness. But the letters they write me...! Frantic!" She came closer still. She laid her hand on

ms!" Napier s

. The girl in the Mercury cap. Not so blith

erg said again, precisely as she had be

dearest." She had lowered her voice as Miss von Schwarzenberg joined her in t

his own. As he went with them into the library, Miss von Schwarzenberg turned hastily. "I'll just g

girl said quietly

was in the breakfast-room looking at the illustrated papers over he

fire-still seeing that face under the cap. What had the von Schwarzenberg been saying to her? It wasn't at all the face she had brought here the evening before.

lf; and before he had at all made up his mind what

f her gloves, and holdin

seized the poker. The flames spran

ou are the private s

that?" he asked, a l

r one was 'Juli

ty with a Christian name on the part o

ou, Mr. Napier." Sh

and then put his letters down on the nearest chair. "I hope I'm not in your way," the girl said

l like other people so far as he'd observ

nodded at the big table-"writing your state documents. And I suppose everybody goes

s, you

as cold. I didn't see why I should wait out by the fi

. "Oh, my! you think I ought to ha

ve thought half so well of you if yo

ly toward the staircase by which Greta had vanished. "I've often he

hould you obey Miss

splendid person in the world." She glowed with it

hen, you see, ever since I was quite young I always have obeyed Greta

ou known Miss vo

Ever since I

ave been a l

Will it hold me too?" She looked doub

licate ankles and the impossible feet, up to the slim neck, there wasn't enough substance in her to furnish forth a good British specimen of half h

ter in the world. Every year she went home for several months. But she always got back in time!" The girl smiled an odd smile, not as t

and glory of Greta-to enumerate one or two of these timely rescues, i

r her breath-which, was silly

Julian came marching

n," Napier said, with his smiling malice. "

t you." She stood up

?" she asked. And did they have ma

ut the morning and the countryside,

self. Fancy old Julian! Do him all the good in t

could of "this lovely coast." Perhaps Mr.

ise. There was nothi

I mustn't be made greedier than I am;

ere are you going?

thinks

ndo

arked absence of enthusiasm. "Oh, I don't doubt really but I shall find it perfect

hen they have definitely adopted the business in question, "bu

quietly, "when you came,

here was like being a governess at home." And quickly, as though to obliterate any sugges

t make it diffe

way," she threw in, a little flustered to find where she was goin

ess was the kind that goes with a slightly reddened nose and a faint, bluish tinge about the mouth at this hou

alf a minute ... though I'm afraid Greta may think, even now,

ings. Greta could certainly take any day off to be with her friend, and ever

irs, had paused the fraction of a second. "Oh, there you

between him and Julian was a little uneasy

s just arranging with Miss Ellis

t to our plan," Greta said as she joined the

-still more at her "plan,"-the slight cloud of dubiety

nch here?" urge

merica, don't we?

aid her enrap

h what she took to be the previous arra

the door, and Miss Greta

of the house had also disappeared, "why

m. He'd nev

r. He plays befor

, be

he motor." He caught up his cap. "You arrange it with the Para

ly not. She lifted her bent head, and when she saw Napier was waiting there a

of either Bobby or Madge," Napier said, "but

dn't apply her formula, "You are very kind." He was c

cause Lady McInt

for that

her eyes. "What should I do

ill look after her while you and I-" he

William coming up from the stable. "Half-past five, then," she murmured. On her way to the

ver "catching you and the Incomparable One

letters, he went on wi

ad shut the library door, "I've been

William was still

ion. Surely an official document of that de

? It hadn't been

apier reminded his chief, was an outsider. Or, if not that (hastily he readjusted

lish equivalent for a German word, she understands as much about the bear

errate Miss von Schwar

ling his little nose with silent laught

ime. "Nan doesn't care about tea. Americans do

so fe

usly not among her many gifts, passed Napier's understanding. It struck him as rather nice of her that she wasn't the least disturbed by Nan's swinging efficiency. Was that because it got rid of her?-put wide stre

wild, face sparkling with zest for the game, or

pier's experience of him that he stood silent a mo

rogress of old Julian's flirtation-so much better for him than addling his

u ever see anybody so, so ... God's-in-

lian, I hope y

s friend. "I don't really quite understand wh

the von Schwarzenberg came within earshot. "There's a fly in the precious ointment," he said. "This rot about her going to

decision. "How could I ask such

r more, and Julian sheered off t

Napier. She told him about her home in Hanover. About her childhood. Her "years of exile." So sh

I tell you

had been

u are a little less 'remote' this even

ive way to that! In order to divert her thoughts, "What

Miss von Schwarz

you chaperonin

lainly she hadn't liked the word. "We a

himself quickly. "But perhaps it's only that I don't

yet so passionate. Oh, there's more than three thousand miles of salt water betwe

l. As Napier stopped to unshoulder the gol

le inn all by yourself the whole e

are!" She came running to the lobby. "I wanted to say good-by, dearest." She pressed G

aid, smiling, "how many thousand tim

mes I've said it before, I never knew what

ide. "I say," Napier called after hi

blushing Julian. "I'm dinin

hort. "I was thinking of asking

had

land," she laughed, "in

en it's

off arguin

Miss von Schwarzenberg leaned against

sudden-a-these flirtations?" Na

w far they had gone. "You know the American standard in these things isn't ou

's thoughts were nearer the Scots' Inn

e or sho

ed on to the London line. Suppose he didn't prevent it? Julian would

e or sho

few weeks in Scotland or went to London to-morrow? Napier knew, looking back, that he had no faintest prevision of the difference that the girl's going

it that the g

ral direction of the "Queen of Scots." "But, speaking of flirtation,

erblown rose at some rude touch. She stood bare of all but the essential woman with never a g

hly probable if Miss Ellis goes to London that

uld Lady Grant think of...." She stopped there, as having i

"all the more we ought to keep an eye on them. But if they are in London-there'll be only one of us 'to k

, in Nan'

n Julian's, catching up what M

s though the calamity were

hat you ... didn't say. And to go to London

she inquired wit

e next weeks for over a year. We've spent our summers together ever since Eton days. If Julian goes, I've got to go too. And I should look on such a ne

mouth relaxed. The lip

zenberg. But he could easily imagine himself kissing that beautiful mou

lucky

was grinning. "Bobby's won his bet!" she called out derisively to the world in general. The wind of her scorn stirred in he

you," said Miss Greta

ng mane, and as if Wildfire's fury had shriveled her

had he been about to do? To saddle himself with a flirtation-or a relation of some sort-with this for

ve you thinking me ungrateful. I appreciate-do believe me, how part

ier faced her again. "What

d his hand. She was pressing it in both of hers. She held up her face-or, as it seemed, her lips. He backed away. "I shall never forget," she said in