other good-bye before his journey. He didn't mention the name of the
Duchess, but said only that he had leave, and was going to Holland on
business. But while he was away a _dreadful_ thing happened--the most
ghastly misfortune--and as we were engaged to be married, he felt
obliged when he came back to let me know the worst."

"What was the dreadful thing that happened?" I asked, as she paused,
pressing her hands against her temples.

"The necklace was stolen from Raoul by a thief, who must have been one
of the most expert in the world. Can you imagine Raoul's feelings? He
came to me in despair, asking my advice. What was he to do? He dared not
appeal to the police, or the Duchess's secret would come out. And he
couldn't bear to tell her of the loss, not only because it would be such
a blow to her, as she was depending on the money from the sale of the
jewels, but because she knew that he was in some difficulties, and
_might_ be tempted to believe that he'd only pretended the diamonds were
stolen--while really he'd sold them for his own use."

"As she's fond of him, and trusts him, probably she would have thought
no such thing," I tried to comfort Maxine. "But certainly, it was a
rather bad fix."

"Rather bad fix! Oh, you laconic creatures, Englishmen. All you think of
is to hide your feelings behind icy words. As for me--well, there was
nothing I wouldn't have done to help him--nothing. My life would have
been a small thing to give. I would have given my soul. And already a
thought came flashing into my mind. I begged Raoul to wait, and say
nothing to the Duchess, who didn't even know yet that he'd come back
from Amsterdam. The thought in my mind was about the commission from