Ambrose Lavendale, Diplomat

during the many months of her great success, had become transformed into a little bower of luxury and comfort. A telephone stood at her elbow amongst a chaos of tortoiseshell-backe

er woman and she understo

abstractedly at the reflection of her own features in the looking-glass. London had found her beautiful, seductive, vivacious. She was all of these. Her dark and beautifully-set eyes restrained their gleam of natural violet notwithstanding the encompassment of stage make-up. No rouge could conceal the pearly brilliancy of her complexion, no cake of powder the charming lines of her mouth. It was not at these thin

e magnifyin

ured to herself, stretching

an in prim black, softly-shod and with the art of moving noiselessly.

this gentleman desires the

retched ou

eceive here only those who need send no card. Give h

refer to see this gentlem

. Before she glanced at it she knew very well what name she would find writ

rose La

kville

d looked upwards at her maid. The

' the latter continued. 'He secured the entrée her

him in,' her m

uctive, but grim. The eyes were no longer insolent, half challenging conquest, half promising tenderness, but seemed, indeed, to have receded a little, to

light, so Félanie almost miraculously recovered herself. She swung round in her dainty revolving chair. Her lips, even, fell naturall

dale, is it not?' she added, with a moment

thdrew, closing the door. In his severely simple evening clothes, Lavendale seemed in that little room to

tured to present myself in order to r

d the gam

tested, 'I have not the

sig

your memory, madame,

' she quer

ok his

nowing the lady who calls herself now

ile, 'that that is what has happened. You are gallant, monsieur, bu

ith a self-confiden

e Adèle Goetz, even under the guise of Madame Félanie. May I congratulate

you are mistaken. My name is Elaine Félanie. It is my own name. I came from the Od

eply. His face had become a shad

Félanie to rise from her ashes? Am I not one of those who could be trusted? My memories of Made

. After all, the man was an American. She looked at him a little

n no longer. I thought myself an actress b

d friend,' h

here in England it is Elai

ber rightly,' he replied

vously around her. He

ned,' he continued, 'you will not-you

and this time there was more

murmured. 'We shall see something

ok his

he sighed. 'I am eng

jealous?' she inquire

d,' he told her, 'who would no

er old gaiety, threw herself back in h

d, 'before we make our pathetic farewells. You have

he art of inspirin

fe here in London? Tell me why you came to renew our acq

chair and the cigarette, still

said. 'You read, without a doubt

ged her s

anything else in Lo

ried. We were in the last boat that left the ship and lost everything except the clothes we s

e had the air of one, however, who has concluded all he has to say. H

sire-I demand?' she cried. 'Monsieur Am

said gravely, 'is y

ecall him too late. She sat for a moment thinking, a c

o spare me a moment,'

e humour triumphed even over his plastic make-up. He was attired with great magnificence in the costume of a beau of the last century. His fingers glittered with rings, lace cuffs fell over his

visitor, chéri

replied. 'Sh

occasional rumbling of scenery, the music of the orchestra, the murmur no

s?' Anders

med to seize him. He remained for a moment dumb and motionle

s tro

e me. He is one of the few who would remember. We were friends in Paris nine y

uttered. 'Better that t

except that he and the girl whom he is engaged to marry, were amongst survivors from the Marabic. He went out of his way to pay me a vis

ten?' Anders

t he terrified me. He prom

ionally

ant to see me any more-he took pains to tell me that he was engaged t

nt. Underneath all the paint and make-u

'Why not America at once, and safety?

ing his nail

hrough,' he reminded her. 'And the money-t

ries,' sh

h my tastes could l

ife and death?' she asked him blunt

s voice was s

nders! Mons

ned mechanically

tered. 'You have perhaps ruined my pe

otism were for a moment forgotten. Its other claims met with ample recognition. Félanie sang the 'Marseillaise' twice amidst a scene of wild applause. A great French actress from the legitimate stage had recited a patriotic ode. The flags on the tables had been sold for absurd sums by a sympathetic

red,' is to our

although she seeme

u months ago that I was for America above all things, and America only. To-day I feel differently. I have been a witness-you and I together-of foul and brutal murder. I have seen women drowne

rs rested

hispered, 'which has come out of

me, do you know who that fair, almost sandy young man

red. 'That is Lenwade,

wn the room to speak to some acquaintances, paused before their table. He bowed to Suzanne and held o

ing with yourself late

g lessons and breaking in a lot of the youngsters, but I can't

laughed. 'You haven't

n I could say that. I'd give anything to be at the front

around to be sure that his n

e week before last, then?' he as

was silent, then he s

me for some one else,' h

e watched him disappear. Then he glanced towa

o you, my fellow con

t should he come to places like this, should he drink champagne so that he is compelled to hold the table while he stands? It is true that all the world knows of his infatuation for Félanie. She is safe, perhaps-a F

e whispered, 'were not

ng her companion with wide-open eyes. La

. Nine years ago I knew Félanie in Paris. She went

o

denly-I think it was the way she shrugged her shoulders, one higher than the other-anyhow, something brought it all back to me. That was why I

woman, in London to-day?' Suzanne ex

her interest in Lenwade? Hush! We are talking too earnestly. That fellow Anders-they

Lenwade was arranging her cloak around her shoulders. Anders was still talking to some other members of the company, and friends seated at the great rou

h, in case I can hear anything. You go through alone and wait for me on the diva

stairs which led into the entrance hall. The little place was full of the hubbub of cheerful laughter. On one side,

e me home,' she announced. 'A

much han

exclaimed fervently, as he bent over Félanie'

,' a painter murmured, 'I would ch

a few bars of the 'Marseillaise' as Félanie and her escort disappeared. Lavendale descended the

ed, as he led her

er breath, 'but I think they went to

almost in a whisper. Behind, pushing his way out on to the pavement, wa

going to do?'

is rooms. Anders remains behind, content, and all the world knows that Anders, whether he is her husband or not, is in love

are we

led, dear. I shall have a very good explanation to offer t

d, Félanie issued from the door of number 25, and, looking neither to the right nor to the

going straight home! If not, you must find out where sh

rang for an automatic lift and ascended to the second storey. Leaning over the

you doing here, old fel

ooking for?' La

as gone down to fetch her vanity case from th

ddenly back into his ro

hear? Listen to me. You're half drunk, but I am going to tell you something that ought

of his stormy denial, Len

to her finger-tips. They all love her. Didn't you hea

years ago under another name. She is a German, and it's my belief she's

oll-top writing desk which stood open. Then he snatched up a tumbler

you're not

f you want to repair the mischief yo

'm the only real draughtsman amongst those who can keep high enough-plans of the German fortification

ee at a time, out into the street and at a double int

ok sharp!'

dale recognized his own car waiting in the courtyard. Without a pause, however, he pushe

e Félanie's nu

lancing dubiously at Lavendale. 'Mons

d paused outside the door of number sixty-four. He listened for a moment. Inside he could hear voice

de, pe

nd she stood there, looking out at him. She gazed at this unexpected visitor and the colour slowly faded from her cheeks and

nt here, sir?'

courage seemed to have deserted her. She clutched at the air for a moment and sank into an easy-chair, hiding h

ollecting them and thrusting them into his pocket

mpted. Anders stole slowly back towards the writing-table, his hand was upon the knob of one of th

untry. The woman there was once my friend. For that reason, if you leave England on Saturday for America, this matter is finished. If either of you remai

pitifully. Félanie, on the co

'You were just one of the few chances agains

e revue? Elaine's success? They have dou

ppen to you, Anders, is a bandaged forehead and twelve bullets, in the

and turned her shoulder c

she pronounced. 'If there were any b

earted effort and he laughed

steamer leaves Liverpool,' he concluded, leavi

herent still but sober. Lavendale drew him out into th

. I shall keep them until to-morrow morning. You can come to me at

her murmured. 'How

ttle contemptuously and took

he told her. 'I hand the care of them, f

and and drew a li

ally!' sh

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