The Powers and Maxine

leave you together," said Lord Mo

in alone, but there must have been a third person. Who could it be? Had

roat, choking my life out. I must he

and the wall, sharply pulling the clinging folds of my chiffon dress after me. Then I lay still, my blood poundin

ceiling with the gargoyley cornice which Di had mentioned when she wanted to seem indifferent

undas," said a voice, which gave me a s

was the Foreign Se

-Balliol. "I told Mountstuart that I wanted a private chat with you. Beyond that, he knows nothing, nor does anyone else except myself. You understand that this conversation of ours, whether

mething told me he had already talked with Diana-and that in spite of me she had not snubbed him. "I am

said to myself, he would be ready to do anything to please the Foreign Secre

better than anyone else I know," said the smooth, trained voice. "It is a little diploma

easure, and carry it through to th

Secretary, still fencing. "It will be good practice, if you succee

e very curious indeed as to what I might be going to hear. My hear

r your trust in

e explained, you will see why I apply to you. Indeed, I came to my cousin Mountstuart's house expressly because I was told you would be at his wife's ball. My regret is, that the news which brought me in search of you didn't reach me earlier, for

echoed Ivor. "You wa

es

mehow," said Ivor, thoughtfully

atching this business wouldn't be likely to guess I had given you a hand in it. All that you do, however, must be done quietly, with no fuss, no sign of anything unusual going on. It was natural I should come to a ball given by my wife's sister, whose husband is my cousi

or, off his guard for an instant, and

tly how he would be looking at Ivor, his keen grey eyes narrowed, his clean-shaven lips drawn in, the long, well-

iend of mine," Iv

ssion has to do with Mademoiselle de Renzie, and, directl

dream that she dab

ly open with you, if you are to help me in this matter. But before we go any further, I must know wh

u won't suppose that my hesitation has anything to do with Miss de

and others. She is a magnificent actress-on the stage and off. And now I have your promise to help me, I must tell you it's to help her as well: therefore I owe yo

olitical spy!" Ivor

which to thank her cleverness and tact-and beauty. For our sakes I'm sorry that she's serving our interests professionally for the last time. For her own sake, I ought to rejoice, a

after she went to Paris-of course, she's very busy and has crowds of friends; and I've only

, behind my sofa. "You've been busy, to

been told. I believe Mademoiselle wants to surprise everybody when the right

utation, which is at stake), but her future happiness will be broken in the crash, and-she says-she will not live to suffer the agony of her loss. She will kill herself if disaster

dently moved by the Foreign Secretary's s

You will there give a fictitious name (let us say, George Sandford) and you will take a suite, with a private sitting-room. That done, you will say that you are expecting a lady to call upon you, and will see no one else. You will wait till Mademoisell

enough," said Ivor

it may be anyt

at her house, and save her coming

going to her house, and stopping until it's time for her to go to work. He dines with her, but doesn't drive with her to the theatre, as that would be rather too public for the present, until their engagement's announced. He adores her, but is inconveniently jealous, like most Latins. It's practic

sends him away, and

day, the most jealous heart need have no cause for suspicion. At the same time, if certain persons whom Mademoiselle-and we, too-have to fear, do find out that she has visited Ivor Dundas, who has assumed a false name for

knew by the change in his manner, out of which all the

our own for the next two days, you won't suffer for it

as a slice of rich plum cake and white bride cake are tied together with bows of satin ribbons sometimes, i

you," s

to remind you, where Mademoiselle de Renzie could go without danger of compromising herself, in case she should

he élysèe Pala

a wonderful new motor car for sale there-one that a Rajah had ordered to be made for him, but died before it was finished. Lady Mountstuart always has one new fad every six months at least, and her latest is to drive a motor car herself. Lord Robert is a great expert-can make a motor, I believe, or take it to pieces and put it together aga

. Then, it was just before I hurried round here to see you that I received a cypher telegram from her, warning me that Count Godensky-of whom you've probably heard-an attaché of the Russian embassy in Paris, somehow has come to suspect a-er-a game in high politics which she and I have been playing; her last, according to present intentions, as I told you. I have an idea that this man, who's well known in Paris society, proposed to Mademoiselle de Renzie, refused to take no for an answer, and bored her until she perhaps was goaded into giving him a severe snub. Godensky is a vain ma

ttle. "I think I could make some trou

in twenty-four hours the world would be empty of Maxine de Renzie: for the circumstances surrounding her in this transaction are peculiar, the most

claimed Ivor. "So she'

o you k

oreign Office, though they say he's more at

her would have him take up, and got him into, through Heaven knows what influence. No; Du Laurier's no fool, and is said to be a fine sportsman, as well as almost absurdly good-looking. Ma

ve with Maxine; but I was obliged to admit to myself that he hadn't, for he di

Office might make it rather awkward for Miss de Renzie

o as far as I'm concerned, for you are to be trusted, and deserve to be trusted. You may say that to her from me, if the occasion arises. I hope with all my heart that everything may go smoothly. If not-the Entente Cordiale may burst like a bomb. I-who have made myself responsible in the matter, with the clear understanding that England will deny me if the scheme's a failure-shall be shattered by a flyi

great luck to have found such a messenger, at a house I could enter without being suspected of any m

uld tell from their voices that they were standing quite near, and it would have been too dangerous. The Foreign Secretary, who is rather a nervous man, and fastidious about a

to know. "It's importance evidently doesn't consist in bulk," h

w, I, must go and look for my wife. It's better that you and I shouldn't be seen together. One never knows who may have got in among

is impish in me longed to see how his face would look; but there was too much at stake. Not only would I hate to have hi