The Powers and Maxine

caught suddenly by the nape of the neck, so to spea

me when I arrived at Victori

t to risk observation by being too early) when I came face to face with the girl whom, at any other tim

l as always. Only last night I had told her that Paris had no attractions for me. I had said that I didn't care to see

anations were forbidden. But I couldn't lie to a girl I loved as I love Diana Forrest. It would have sickened me with life and with myself to

e struck me that the Imp was like a cat; but suddenly the resemblance struck me-something in the poor little creature's expression, it must have been, or in her greenish grey eyes w

came here to meet you, in case you should be le

reign Secretary had confided to her something of his secret-guessing ours, pe

elieve you would go; even though I got your l

said. "I posted it soon a

other good-bye, that you wouldn't be able to see

hess of Glasgow's bazaar. That was because, after I decided to drop in at the bazaar, something happened which made it imp

at you tell me where you're going this morning. I know it must seem horrid in me to ask, but

feel as if I had a cold potato where my heart

't come to the Duchess's," said Di, looking like a beautiful, unhappy child, her eyes big and

enough to explain, in a h

Ivor, any more than it seems you can to me. But I did hear you meant to go there, and-after our talk, I couldn't believe it. I didn't come to

ill trust me just the same,"

. I'll tru

wh

tle, tiny thing: that you're no

e her," I

t, you're not go

xine. Yet to what suspicion was I not laying myself open in confessing that I deliberately intended to see her, having sworn

I reminded her. "For Heaven's

e breaking a

romi

It doesn't matter our speaking like this before her. I asked you to wait for my promise for a little while, until I could be quite sure you didn't think of Miss de Ren

ign Secretary and his precautions. But I was punished for my la

here's something you must settle

te I should lose the train. And I must not lose the train.

re's no question of freedom. Yet I shall hav

poor child's lips, I could see, by sheer anguish, and it was like death t

d. "Good-bye, darling-precious one. I shall think of yo

again," she said, white lipped. And th

of a first-class compartment. As I did so, a little man inside jumped to the window and shouted, "

ere I was not wanted, but there was no time to choose; and I was thankful to get in anywhere, rather than break my word. Besides, my heart was too sore at leaving Diana as I had had to leave her, to care much for anything else. I had just sense enough to fight my way in, though the two men with the key (not the one who had occupied the compartment first), now yelled that it was reserved, and would have pushed me out if I hadn't be

ng against the unseemly struggle, and the car

ar that Diana and Lisa had been swept away from my sight. It was like a

to do but resign myself to the inevitable, and hope for the best. Someone, it was clear, had tried to work mischief between Diana and me, and there were only too many chances that he had succeeded. Could it be Bob West, I asked myself, as I half-dazedly looked for a place to sit down among the litter of small luggage with which the first occupant of the carriage had

cleared a place for me next his own, which was in a corner facing the engine. Thanking him

ow it struck me that all three were rather peculiar;

he kind which ought to have had white lashes instead of the sparse, jet black ones that rimmed them. His forehead, though narrow, suggested shrewdness, as did the expression of those light coloured eyes of his, which were set close to the sharp, slightly up-turned nose. His hair was so black that it made his skin seem singularly pallid, though it was onl

ed by smallpox. They also were flashily dressed with "horsey" neckties and conspicuous scarf-pins. As I glanced at the pair, they were talking together in a low voice, with an open newspaper held up between them; but the man who had helped me in against their will sat silent, staring out of the window and uneasily fingering his collar. Not one of the trio was, apparently, paying the slig

they were three to one if they combined against me, and the train was, unfortunately, not entirely a corridor train. Therefore, having assured myself that I was not among spies bent on having my life or the secret I carried, I forgot about my fellow-travellers, and fell into glo

nst me, and Heaven knew how much or when I might be permitted to explain. I would not be a man if I took her at her word, and let her slip from me, no matter how many times that word were repeated; so I t

he would go on caring for me, after what had happened to-day? I wondered. She hadn't said in actual words last night that she would marry me, whereas this morning she had almost said she never wou

y knew what I was about when I shoved you away from the door. Me and my friend was afraid of missing the train, so we pushed-instinct of s

ecessary," I replied as

o resumed their conversation behind the newspaper: but I now became conscious that they occasionally glanced ov

then drawn up to his face. He was so sickly pale, under a kind of yellowish glaze spread over his complexion, that I thought he must be ill, perhaps suffering from train sickness, in anxious anticipation of the horrors which might be in store for him on the boat. Presently he pulled out a red-bordered handkerc

thought contemptuously. "Perhaps he's an

and holding it so close to his nose that the printed page must have been a mere blur, unless he were very near-sighted. Thus he sat for some time; yet I felt that no look thrown by the other two was lost on him. He seemed to know each time one of them peered ove

newspaper, and tearing an article out of a magazine by way of excuse; for it was not my object to be caught in a crowd and hustled, perhaps, by some clever wretches who might be lying in wait for what I had in my pocket. It seemed impossible that anyone could ha

in their newspapers, and apparently to review the other contents. Presently, when the first rush for the boat was over, and the porters who had come to the door of our compartment had gone away empty-handed, I would have

eckon a porter, as you are near the door? I find after

ut with their bags. I also descended and would have followed in the wake of the crowd, if the little man had not called after me. H

velling rug; and scrambling out of the carriage, attended by the porter I had secured for him, he would have walked by my

a fat nurse and crying baby-behind us. As I approached the gangway, I saw on deck my late travelling companions, the Jewish man and his friend, regarding us with

e woman with the baby. Two or three excitable Frenchmen just ahead also attempted to turn, thus nearly throwing the little man onto his knees. The large bag which he carried hit me across the shins; in his

s a false alarm-that the gangway was "all right," and never had been anything but all right, I could not readjust

have been got up for the express purpose of robbing me of it. But I could feel its outline as plainly

therefore I walked the deck most of the time, always conscious of the unusual thickness of my breast pocket. The little man paced up and down, too, though his yellow face grew slowly green, and he would have been much better off below, lying on h

n was close to my side as I went in search of a cab, for all his things had been gone through by the custom house officer in mid-channel, so that he too was free to depart without delay. He even seemed to cling to me, somewhat wistfully, and I half thought he meant to speak, but he did not, save for a "good evening, sir," as I separated myself from

almost worthy to receive the lovely lady I expected. Nor did she keep me waiting. I had had time only to give instructions about sending a man with a key to the station for my luggage, to say that a lady would call, to reach my rooms, and to draw

e wrong with the electricity, all over the hotel. It was but just now discovered, at time for turning on the lights, otherwise lamps and plenty of candl

of my important interview with Maxine. "If the light comes on, it will he all right:

its plain, close-fitting black dress, though her wide brimmed hat was draped with a thickly embroidered veil tha

me push the curtains back.

on and we be seen from outside. Why,"-as she drew nearer to me, and the serv

the-weren't you warned who

st nobody knows-except myself and one other. But I'm glad-glad it's you. It was clever of-him, to have sent you. No one would dream that-no one would think it st

on the way, and no reason to think I've been spotted. Anyway, here I am; and here is somet

redit on the stage, though I am sure she was never further in her life from the thought of acting.

interest in me, even if you don't really feel it, you know. You

u how grateful. But I have no time to think either of you or myself

y teasing you. Forgive me. I oughtn't to have done it, even for a minute. Her

nt. With a spring, she flung herself on me, her hand fumbling for the pocket I had tapped suggestively a moment ago. I let her draw out the long case which I had been guarding-the case I

could be sure whether she wished for time to hide, or whether she would have me cry "come in," without seeming to hesitate, the door opened. For a second or two Maxine and I, and a group of figures at the door were mere shadows in the ever deepening pink d

r-case out of sight. Having ascertained this, I sharply enquired in French what in the devil's name the Commissary of Police

more polite

hat perhaps, after all, the salon was unoccupied. Important business must be my excuse. I have to request tha

s ominous. If the Paris police had contrived to learn it already, as well as to find out that I was the bearer of

friend in England, and Monsieur has now kindly returned," amen

rately, if this meant ruin for Maxine, or if she would still find some way of saving herself. But all I could do for her at the moment was to keep calm, and tell as many lies as

r duty," said the officer, his tone becoming peremptory for the first time. "Should y

you're dealing with a B

iendly country," he capped my words. "You

contemptuously, "and show them that you've nothing in which the police can ha

thing, Mademoiselle, unless satisfaction is gi

ty must almost have dazzled them, thus suddenly displayed. For Maxine is a gloriously handsome woman, and never had she been most striking, more wonderful, t

he said, throwi

body, in the tight black sheath of the dress which was of the fashion which, I think, women

ft' my old friend is supposed to have brought me. Is it large or small? I'll take off my gloves and let you see my rings, if you like, Monsieur le Commisaire, for I've been taught, as a servant of the public,

good-natured way. She was bewitching as she stood smiling, with her black hat an

on: but as one of the gendarmes politely picked it up from the floor, where it had fallen, and handed it to me without examining it, mechanically I slipped it back into the pocket, and thought no more of it at the time. There were too many other things to

more thoroughly still? I'll go with you, if you wish. I won't even he indiscreet enough to ask questions, since you seem inclined to do what we've no need to do-keep your own secrets. All

fixedly at Maxine for a moment

nor Monsieur are concealing anything about your persons. I w

r brain. I felt that she was conscious of this betrayal, under the gaze of the policeman, and she laughed to distract his attention. My heart ached for her. I thought of a meadow-lark manoeuvering to hide the place where her nest lies. Poor, beautiful Maxine! In spite of her pride, her high