The Chink in the Armour

ished in the Villa du Lac only a week after her first visit to Lacville! But

e asphalt pavements radiated heat; the air was heavy, laden with strange, unpleasing odours; and even the tree

ad gone back there three times, refusing, almost angrily, the company of her English friend. For a day or two Sylvia had thought seriously of returni

f the week Anna s

staying in Paris as Paris is now! I do not ask you to go to the Pension Malfait, but come to the Villa du Lac. You will soon make a

he Club at the Casino," in

t you to do that!" e

o speak to her like that! Bill Chester, her trustee, and sometime lover, always treated her as

ou yourself say that there is no har

the owner of the H?tel de l'Horloge had understood that in any case she meant to leave Paris, he had do

; on the other hand, she could not there have the use of a sitting-room, for the good reason that there were no private sitting-rooms i

ek. And when Anna had left Sylvia at the Villa du Lac, driving off alone to her own humbler pension, the young En

s, airy room which had been prepared for her. "This was the bed-chamber

which dated from the Second Empire, overlooked the broad waters of the lake. Even now, though it was still dayligh

rtain fairy-like b

Polperro cheerfully. "Last week I had only M. le Comte Paul de Virieu

he said; and then, simply because the landlord's love of talking

ine horseman, but Count Paul, alas! has other thin

to one of the open windows and looked out over the enchanting,

ends would have thoroughly disapproved! But, after all, what was wrong about Lacville? Wher

her new friend, Anna Wolsky: and Anna-she made no secret of it at al

nsions. It would have been so nice to have had her here, in the Villa du Lac. She felt rather los

her chair by the window. She moved back into the room and put on a pretty

the little dining-room of the H?tel de l'Horloge, which ope

om she had been brought in temporary contact. She was familiar, through newspaper paragraphs, with the name of his brother-in-law, the French duke who had won the Derby. The Duc d'Eglemont, that was the racing French duke who had carried off the blue riband of the British Turf-t

there, sitting very near to where she herself was now told that she was to sit. In the week that had gone by since Sylvia had paid her first visit to Lacville, the Villa had g

om, the Comte de Virieu got up from his chair, and

felt inclined to burst out laughing. But all she did was to nod gravel

ing merrily together, as is the way with French people at their meals. No one was alon

oss to where Mrs. Bailey sat by herself. "I hope Madame is satisfied with her dinner,"

lemnly. "Make her comfortable, attend to her slightest wish"-and then he chuckled-"This is my niece," he sa

rd-but it was all very pleasant! She had never met an hotel keeper lik

than comfortable! And after dinner I shall go

out into the garden; and there coffee was served to them on little ro

each had a friend or friends, and she was once more feeling lonely and deserted wh

as getting used to these strange foreign ways, and she no longer felt inclined to

me, seeing that you hav

ir face, for the Count was speaking in English,

, I hope, Madame, that you will allow me to h

is already a member, than for the affair to be managed"-he slightly lowered his voice-"by an hotel

ing thoughtfully d

t I shall join the Club,"

as it relie

ught you told M. Polperro just now in the dining-r

he should have overheard her words to M. Polpe

with whom I was the other day when you so kindly interfered to save us, or rather to save me, from b

eu bowed low before her

ember. They have to be very strict in these matters; to allow a stranger in the Clu

ish!" exclaimed Sylvia,

Catholic College called Beaumont, near Windsor; but n

sy, desultory, almost intimate talk with this entire stranger. Bu

ered that the Count had thrown his c

u smoke?"

e you don't

and had been a great smoker, when some feeling she could not have analyse

t down by her again. And then very soon out came the host's pretty little niece with a shawl over her arm. "I have brought Madame a shawl," sa

iley and the Comte de Virieu had b

fully. "I promised to meet my friend in the hall of the Casin

so, I will escort you to t

d duty for a dressing-table there was a small nosegay of flowers in a g

th a happy smile that Lacville was an enchanting, a delig

eu was waiting fo

elf to you, Madame," he said sole

Bailey," she said, a

don me, Madame, if I take the liberty of saying that you should arrange for your friend to call for you on those evenings that you intend to spend at the Cas

ose words. Sylvia blushed violently, but she did not feel annoyed, only queer

, you are very young, and I will confess to you that the first time I saw you

e come all by herself to Lacville

h young ladies do s

ville the sort of place in which a woman could not walk a few

ake myself clear,"

sino. "Not very long ago a lady had her hand-bag snatched from her within a few yards of th

look so quiet and respec

eptions. Lacville contains more exce

ino. Yes, there was Anna Wolsky look

re I am! I'm so

lsky, but he was already bowing stiffly, and before she cou

one acquaintance, Sylvia,"

together. He is staying at the Villa du Lac," Sylvia answ

I know him by sight quit

me as a member of the Club if

worrying about your membership to-night. We can spend the evening downstairs, in the pub

r or salt that would melt!"

er here on the look-out for an easy way of making money." She turned an affectionate look on her friend. "You are not only ver

glad that you brought me here, and first made me acquainted with this delightf

a had first seen it. But all the people playing there, both those sitting at the table and those

le talking among them, and each round of the monotonous game was got through far quicker than had been

n, glanced idly for a moment at the two newcomers, b

ours without wanting to play herself; but Anna Wolsky soon grew restless, and sta

le I'm accustomed to see at Monte Carlo. As a rule, whenever one goes to this kind

call yourself a gambler,"

hed good-

nce you apparently think there is between a ga

he spoke with a searching glance,

! That funny-looking couple over there

you mean?" aske

fe? A dreadful thing happened to them-a great friend of theirs, a Russian, was dro

oment the people Anna meant, and perhaps because she was in good spir

and wearing a pale blue bonnet particularly unbecoming to her red, massive face. She was not paying much attention to the play, though now and again she

abby Panama hat. In his hand he held open a small book, in which he noted down all the turns of the game. Unlike his short, stout wife, this tall, thin man seemed qui

om the people about them; in a

n the turns in his little book. That sort of gambler ought never to leave Monte Carlo. It is only at Monte Carlo-that is to say, at Roulette-that s

looking smiled broadly, showing her strong white teeth as she did so; and then, as her

of beautiful things, and especially fond of jewels. She was wondering whether the

that first evening. Sylvia drove Anna to the Pension M

d-room windows, Sylvia Bailey stood for some m

iature argosies, laden with lovers seeking

r Sylvia was reminded of an exquisite piece of scene painting, and it seemed to her as if she were the heroine o

had spoken of the Count as she had don

ere leaving the Casino and hurrying towards the station; but she did not mind the sound.