window and she had had so little sleep in the night.

An hour passed, and at four o'clock the Aunt Caroline appeared.
Her face was grim. Had Stella been an outcast in deed and word she
could not have looked more disdainful.

"You must come down with me now, Stella," she said, "we are ready
to go to the station. I will remain with you here until Martha
gets her hat."

Stella rose to her feet and before the astonished lady could speak
more, she had swiftly passed her and gained the door, which she
threw open, and, like a fawn, rushed down the passage toward the
staircase entrance side of the hotel, and by the time her slowly
moving aunt had emerged from the room she had turned the corner
and was out of sight.

Fortunately, she met no one on the stairs except one astonished
page, and arrived in the outer corridor breathless with excitement
and emotion.

Count Roumovski saw her through the door of the hall, and hastened
to meet her.

"There is not a moment to be lost," she said, as he got to her
side.

"Go to the place you went before under the trees," he whispered
hurriedly in return. "The automobile is there, and I will follow
presently." So she went.