should make a strong combination."

"You must not go to her, Miss Gilmore--unless at least----" He paused, but I had no difficulty in completing his sentence. 

"That is my view, also--unless at least I come to an understanding with you beforehand. It will help that understanding if I tell you that I am in no way dependent upon my work for my living. I am an American, as I have told you, but not a poor one; and my motive in all this has no sort of connection with money. As money is reckoned here, I am already a sufficiently rich woman."

"You continue to surprise me. Yet you spoke of--of a recompense for your services?"

"I am a volunteer--for the present. I shall no doubt seek a return some time; but as yet, it will be enough for me to work for your Government; to go my own way, to use my own methods, and to rely only upon you where I may need the machinery at your disposal. My success shall be my own. If I succeed, the benefits will be yours; if I fail, you will be at liberty to disavow all connection between us."

He sat thinking over these unusual terms so long that I had to dig in the spur. "The Countess d'Artelle is a more dangerous woman than you seem at present to appreciate. She is the secret agent of her Government. She has not told me that, or I should not tell it to you; but I know it. Should I serve your Government or hers? The choice is open to me."He drew a deep breath. 
"I have half suspected it," he murmured; then bluntly: "You must not serve hers." 
"That is the decision I was sure you would make, General. We will take it as final." 
"You are a very remarkable young woman, Miss Gilmore." 
"And now, a somewhat fatigued one. I will bid you good-night. I am no longer your daughter's governess, but will remain until you have found my successor." 
"You will always be a welcome guest in my house," and he bade me good-night with such new consideration as showed me I had impressed him quite as deeply as I could have wished. Perhaps rather too deeply, I thought afterwards, when I recalled his glances as we parted. 

CHAPTER III 
MY PLAN OF CAMPAIGN 

When my talk with General von Erlanger over the chess board took place, I had but recently decided to plunge into the maelstrom whose gloomy undercurrent depths concealed the proofs of my father's innocence and the dark secret of his cruel wrongs. 

My motive in coming to Pesth was rather a desire to gauge for myself at first 

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