The Chink in the Armour

ylvia Bailey forgot completel

tely unlike the small bed-room she had occupied in the H?t

ful, luxurious room had been furnished and arranged for the lady-in-waiting and frien

night before. And her travelling clock told her that it was not yet six. But Sylvia

e Casino, of which the minarets were reflected in its blue depths, might have been a dream palace. Nothing b

ut from the old parish church which forms the centre of the town of Lacv

the Villa du Lac, and slowly open

-click of a shower bath. M. Polperro evidently insisted o

Paris had left her. There seemed no reason why she should not g

ame curious sounds from the front of the Vi

t of the horseshoe stairway which led up to the hall door. It was not yet h

riding breeches and a black jersey, came out of the house, and close on hi

r le Comte" that, and she smiled a little to herself. The

more animated than she had yet seen him. Sylvia told herse

ted into the saddle, and then rode out o

rest of Montmorency, which, in her lying guide-book,

out "Come in!" was surprised, and rather amused, t

to know if she would like an English breakfast? If yes, it shall be

via; "but I do not want anything yet, M. Polperro. It will d

e time. It was an interesting, a new, even a striking experience, this of hers; and though she felt rather lost without A

not as the writer feels inclined. Among them was a duty letter to her trustee

land were friends of Bill Chester too, and so it w

curious, unacknowledged feeling that she was waiting for something to

lvia suddenly realised, with a sense of curious embarrassment, what it was she had

disturb you," he said, in his excellen

ok her hea

ake for at least half

f the Englishwomen I knew a

as a child I was well taught, but I have not

k her if she would ride with him, and she had already made up h

eu's manner to her was to that of the other young men she knew. While his manner was deferential, even eager, yet there was

etty young woman-it would, of course, have been absurd for her to have denied, even to herself, that she was very pretty-must be careful in her deali

to admit to herself that the Comte de Virieu treated her much as he m

lue eyes fixed full on her with an earnest, inquiring gaze, and she realised that

e moment. He opened the door for her, and then, aft

d the potager?" he a

zled. "Potager" was quite

who built the Villa du Lac a matter of fifty years ago were very fond of gard

ew still glistened on the grass and leaves. Sylvia thought it would b

of my mother. He and his kind wife allowed me to come here for my convalescence after a rather serious illne

e to send a child to

out each Sunday afternoon to fish and boat in a humble way, and there were a few villas built round the lake. But you must rem

to bless the Casino!"

g by a long, high wall. The Count pushed open a narrow door set in an arch in the wall, and Sylv

d the borders, while, at each place where four paths met, a round, stone-rim

tone orangery, a building dating from the eighteenth ce

imed. "But this garden must cost M. Pol

de Virie

have as much fruit and vegetables as he requires throughout the year. Why, the potager of the Villa du Lac supplies the whole of L

to come back and stay in the

he answered gravely. "But now I hav

e along one of the narro

is not much to see there now, for all the orange-trees are

ause of its mingled formality and delicacy, made so distinguished and attractive a setting to feminine beauty. It remained, the only survi

f-hardy shrubs were sunning themselves in the open-air, the orangery did not look bare

entre of the stone floor, and nea

at down he did not come and sit by her, instead he so placed himself that

ying long at Lacville, M

epend on my friend Madame Wolsky's plans. If we both

lence between them. The Frenchman was gazi

ing a turn up and down the orange

ed. "Will you permit me t

by surprise. But the Comte de Virieu's next words at on

ssion to tell you frankly and plainly that it is n

with grea

as bewildered, and though not

aintively. "Why should

t a place where I should care for my own sister to come and stay." He went on, speaking much quicker-"Indeed, I w

ia slowly. "You mean, o

wed g

as the sun attracts lizards! It is not the game that does so, or even

hat he had grown

forms of amusement, people only come here in order to play, and to see others play. The Casino, which doubtless appears to you a bri

ill about a week ago." Innate honesty compelled her to add, "But

ness. "Every tradesman in Paris, without a single exception, has signed

ng!" exclaimed Sylvia, and

ers of the Casino of Lacville! Of course, Paris hotel-keepers are not in quite the same position as are the other Parisian trades-people. Lacville does not do them much harm

lvia, and she felt a wave of

ameful truth! I, Madame, have the misfortune to be that most mise

t anger, and Sylvia gazed up at his stern, sad f

on, and then he sat down by her, and began tracing

And then, most unhappily for me, my beloved mother died, and I inherited from her a few thousand pounds. I felt very miserable, and I happened to be at the moment idle. A friend persuad

. His words breathed sincerity, and the look of humiliation

, and I am very much obliged to you for

eu went on as if he h

ter, and at Spa and Aix-les-Bains in the summer. Of course I was not at all surprised to see her turn up here, but I confess, Madame, that I was very much astonished

should be offended,"

g in a field of high, rank, evil-smelling-

"It would be most unkind to my friend, Madame Wolsky. Surely, it is possible to stay at Lacville, and even to play a

a very lovely young woman. Comte P

ve and love-making lay far, far behind h

nselfish and kindly action. Sylvia's gentle and unsophisticated charm had touched

d, slowly. "We French take our pleasures lightly, Madame, and no doubt there is many an excellent Parisian bourgeois who comes her

made a friend-a real friend-in the Comte de Virieu. It was a curious sensation, an

n; others, so she was resentfully aware, had only become really interested in her when they became aware that she had been left by her husband with an income of two thousand pounds a y

she had been at the Villa du Lac, Sylvia had realised that though the Count was on speaking terms with most of his fel

Sylvia stopped short; she fixed her l

know we in England have a proverb, 'Forewarned is forearmed.' Well, believe me, I will not forget wha

a moment in silence, and the

m sure, for instance, that your Polish friend is well aware of it! You see before you a man who has lost eve

uch bitter accents issue

day because my sister loves me, and she thinks my health will suffer if I do not take exercise. My brother-in-law did not give me the horse,

, and forgive me for having thrust my private affairs on your notice! It is not a thing I have been

ed, excited. It was quite a new experience with her to

ade her realise how little we men and women really know of one another. How small was her knowledge, for instance, of Bill Chester-though, to be sure, of him there was perhaps nothing to know. How

never met again after to-day, she would never forget that he had allowed her to see into the core of his sad, embittered heart. He had lifted a corner of the ve