The Chink in the Armour

ed night, and it was pleasant to feel that she could spend a long restful day doing nothing, or only taking par

ere floated in a busy, happy murmur, for Paris is an early city,

er-sellers in the Avenue de l'Opéra-"Beflower your

nd, in spite of her bad night and ugly drea

s at home at once; others remain, however well

most affectionately intimate terms from the first day. She had only been here a month, and yet she already knew with familiar knowledge the quarter in which was situated her quiet little hotel

hwoman by whom she had been educated had seen to that. She could wander through the narrow streets on the other side

r, proposed to come out and join the party there. That was something to look forward to, for Sylvia was very fond of him, though he sometimes made her angry by his fu

at they were going to part so soon. If only Anna would consent to come on with her to Switzerland! But

, and Madame Wolsky walked in.

e said, "but the place I am going to is qui

asked Sylvia, na?vely

"I am going to go to a place called Lacville. I do

r shook

t laughing. Then, "Good-bye!" she exclaimed, and

as Anna Wolsky going to Lacville? There was something about the place concerning wh

f bed, and dressed rathe

ow delightful it would be to get into the country even for

ons," of which she had made such good use in the

of Lacville is still famed for its healing springs and during the summer months of th

a-namely that this account is only half, n

pretty country towns which encircle Paris; for Lacville is in the proud possession of a Gambling Concession

e unaware that there is, within half an hour of the French capital, such a spot; the minority,

hing, of all this, and even if she had know

ard would doubtless tell her of a good train to Lacville, and i

he always found time for a talk w

looking little man, and so utterly different from any English hotel-keeper she had ever seen!-"I w

his season yet, but often last summer, and I shall be going there shortly again. I have a friend there-indeed, he is more than a friend, he is a relatio

had been ready when she came down. It has turned so hot that I feel a few hours in the country would be

nd it really difficult to give a t

would lay my life. First, there is a most beautiful lake-that is, perhaps, the principal attraction;-then the vil

lvia. She scarcely kn

ut if Madame really desires to see Lacville properly my wife and I will make a great pleasure to ourselves to accompany her there one Sunday night. It is very gay, is

at night?" asked Sylvia, astonished. "

y. "A great many Parisians spend the evening there each day. They do not start till nine o'clock in the eve

ated Sylvia, amazed. "But why do so

s business to run the place down-as a matter of fact, he and his wife had invested nearly a thousand pounds of their hard-earned savings in their relation's hotel, the Villa du

gh the active brain of M. G

lle in order to play bac

w why Anna Wolsky h

ally. "It is a beauteous spot, just like a scene in an opera. There is the romantic lake,

here a tr

f the Empress Eugénie? Well, the Villa du Lac once belonged to one of the Empress's gentlemen-in-waiting. The very highest nobility sta

ced the British fo

is has given him a connection among the nobility. In the winter he has an

from here to the Square of the Trinité and take the tramway; but it is quicker and pleasanter to go by train-unless, indeed

d Sylvia, smiling, "and I will lunc

ld be at the Casino. Sylvia felt painfully interested in her friend'

y trains start daily for Lacville, it seemed to Sylvia that the whole of Paris was

g on a wide stretch of water edged with high trees, and gay with little sailing boats, each boat with its human freight of two lovers. Jutting out into the blue

dvertisement stared down at her from the wa

that the place had never been mentioned to her by any of those

she had five fellow-travellers-a man and woman and three children. They looked chee

chosen some other place than Lacville in which to spend to-day

band in a jovial tone, "where I can s

haking her head. "But remember what happened the last time we we

mean the afternoon when I made a hundred francs, and bought you an

tween an English husband and wife, especially before a stranger. And then her amusement was further increased,

If thou art in the least like thy father, there will certainly come a time when th

buy thee a present," said

happy, chattering people made her fee

at last they drew up into the large station of what was once a quiet, remote village where Parisian invalids, too poor to go elsewh

helping her out of the railway carriage. "If so, Madame would doubtless

lf that there was no hope of finding Anna in such a large place, and that it was unlikely that t

is chance remark made up her mind for her. After all, she might as well go and

igh white houses, shabby cafés, and little shops. Quite a crowd

and Sylvia uttered a low cry

nlit expanse of water, fringed by high trees, and bordered by quaint, pretty chalets and villas, fant

acles and minarets reflected in blue translucent dept

the lake is so shallow, Madame, there is no fear of anyone being

chimed in, happily, "for then the lake is so full of little sailing-b

ey's pretty grey muslin

for us, we shall make our way into a wood and have our lunche

ow in their dealings with strangers; and, shepherding their little party along

by groups of merry-looking people, and already out on the lake the

n found herself wondering what she was doing there in a foreign country, by hersel

dlord of the H?tel de l'Horloge had pressed up

looking old bourgeois and his wife. "Do you

, not a hundred yards away. That big white house to our left." And then, with

he Concession was granted to the Casino. You know what I mean? The Gambling Concession. Since then the world of Lacville has become rather mixed, as I have reason to know, for my wife and I have liv

ther than like an hotel. It stood some way back-behind high wrought-steel and gilt gates-from the sandy road which la

he horseshoe stone-staircase which led to the front door, a man, dressed in the white dress

Madame Bailey? My cousin telephoned to me that you might be coming, Madame, to déjeuner!" An

ard to have telephoned to his cousin. But how dreadful it would have been if she had gone straig

ned something of the grand air it had worn in the days when it had been the property of a Court official. The large, cool, circul

ured guest, had been built out since the house had become an hotel. It commanded a vie

smiled joyously. "I myself have a very choice clientèle-I do not deal with rubbish." He drew himself up proudly. "My clients come back to me year after year. Already I have six visitors, and in ten days my pension will be au grand comple

a Bailey! No wonder her feeling of

gth of the gleaming, sun-flecked lake, she told herself that, pleasant as was P

white, fairy-like group of buildings, which were

gambling English people are curiously narrow. It was better to be philosophical about it, like that excellent Frenchwoman in the tra

er was served to her well and deftly by a pleasant-faced young waitress dressed in Breton costume, each i

good food, and she had very seldom tasted quite such good food as that

nd sat down at a small table situated at the other end of the dining