his eyes of the dagger she had held. It was plain that she would stop at
nothing to hinder this marriage, to prevent the success of his design;
and somehow the contrast between her appearance and her actions had
something uncanny about it. Wogan was inclined to shiver as he sat
chatting with the Countess. He was not reassured when Lady Featherstone
boldly entered the room; she meant to face him out. He remarked,
however, with a trifle of satisfaction that for the first time she wore
rouge upon her cheeks.




CHAPTER V


Wogan, however, was not immediately benefited by his discovery. He knew
that if a single whisper of it reached the Prince's ear there would be
at once an end to his small chances. The old man would take alarm; he
might punish the offender, but he would none the less surely refuse his
consent to Wogan's project. Wogan must keep his lips quite closed and
let his antagonists do boldly what they would.

And that they were active he found a way to discover. The Countess from
this time plied him with kindness. He must play cards with her and
Prince Constantine in the evening; he must take his coffee in her
private apartments in the morning. So upon one of these occasions he
spoke of his departure from Ohlau.

"I shall go by way of Prague;" and he stopped in confusion and corrected
himself quickly. "At least, I am not sure. There are other ways into