answered. "To have peace to enjoy oneself one must calculate and
arrange for events. Had we only trusted to the probability of your
maid's sleeping, I should have had to be on the lookout, and my
uneasiness would have communicated itself to you, and we should
have had no happy hour--but I made a certainty of safety--and
unconsciously you trusted me to know, and so we have been
content."

Stella was thrilled. So he had taken all this trouble. He must be
a good deal interested in her, then; and feeling sure of this,
womanlike, she immediately took advantage of it to insist upon
leaving him.

"Very well," he said, when he could not dissuade her. "To-night
the wheel of fortune will revolve for us all, and it remains to be
seen who will draw a prize and who a blank."

Then he walked by her side to where they saw the quiet servant
standing, a motionless sentinel, and here Count Roumovski bowed
and turned on his heel, while Stella advanced to the bench on
which the comfortable Martha slept.

This latter was full of defence when she awoke. She had not closed
an eye, but thought Miss Stella was enjoying "them statues" better
without her, which was indeed true, if she had guessed!

Miss Rawson ate very little luncheon--the Russian did not appear--
and immediately after it she was taken as a treat to see the
Borghese Gardens by her uncle and aunt! It behooved her not to be
tired by more sightseeing, since her betrothed would arrive when