considered. He would take the law into his own hands.

When he had finished his note he went straight up in the lift to
the corridor where Stella's room was and there saw in the distance
her raging and discomfited late betrothed evidently keeping watch
and ward. Count Roumovski did not hesitate a second; he advanced
to the door and knocked firmly on the panel, slipping his letter
through the little slide for such things before Mr. Medlicott
could bound forward and prevent him.

"A letter for you, mademoiselle, from me, Sasha Roumovski," he
said in French in a loud enough voice for the occupant of the room
to hear, and then he stood still for a second, as both men heard
Stella jump from her bed and rush to the door to take the missive
before Martha from the place at the window could intercept it.

"Do not dare to touch that, Martha," they heard her voice say
haughtily, and then she called out, "Sasha, I have it safe and I
will do exactly as you direct."

Count Roumovski looked at Eustace Medlicott, who stood as a
spread-eagle in front of the door--and then, smiling, went calmly
on his way.

The Reverend Mr. Medlicott shook with burning rage. He was being
made to look ridiculous and he was absolutely impotent to
retaliate in any way. He would bring scandal upon them all if
waiters and other guests saw him guarding Miss Rawson's actual
door, and he could not sit outside like a valet; the whole thing
was unspeakably maddening, and murderous thoughts flooded his