"Yes, you. Did you not arrive on the scene just when I wanted you, at
the Gare du Nord?"

"Oh yes, I see what you mean. Of course, of course; thanks awfully for
saying that."

"Well, just as you arrived then, so some one else arrived once long ago,
and I was grateful to him, as indeed I am grateful to you."

Bobby was trying to find something to say, but Madame de Corantin
continued--

"I was glad of protection going to America. It is not pleasant for a
woman to have to travel alone. I daresay some people would have
misunderstood the position. My companion on that voyage was well known.
He was a Prince of a distinguished German family. He was nothing to me. I
need hardly tell you that."

The suggestion in her last remark was not very flattering to Bobby, but
he was too much interested to notice it.

"On that same ship was travelling your friend, Mr. Ramsey. He knew the
Prince slightly, I do not know how."

"Oh, he always manages to get to know people somehow or other. That's
one of Ramsey's special gifts," Bobby remarked with as near an approach
to bitterness as he was capable of expressing.

"He used to come up and speak to the Prince when we were reclining on our