interesting to know what the information was which your employers in France wished you to obtain." "Then you are a spy, after all?" she cried, angrily. "No. A spy, in the sense you mean, is a person paid by employers to obtain information--as the police used to pay Madame Constans in Paris. I have no employers. I am seeking my own way, and acting for myself. You will see the difference. Now will you tell me what you were sent here to do?" "You are right in one thing, Christabel--you are easier to hate than to love." "That does not answer my question." "I am no spy." "Henriette! I have been in communication with Paris since I saw you, and a special messenger is now on his way here to me with full tidings. Let us be frank with one another. You promised to advance my fortunes: Count Gustav has made the same promise--why then should you try to deceive me? It is not playing the game fairly." "I have not tried to deceive you." "Henriette!" I cried again, this time with a laugh. "What! when you have changed your plans entirely within the last few hours?" She could not suppress a start at this, and tried to cover it with a laughing suggestion of its absurdity. "You are ridiculous--always finding mysteries," she said. "Finding them _out_, you mean," I retorted, slowly and significantly. "Will you leave me to do this now, or will you tell me frankly?" "There is no new plan." "You will find it not only useless but unsafe to attempt to deceive me. I know already much of the new plan and within a few hours shall know all." She had been already so impressed by the discoveries I had made that she was quite prepared to believe this bluff; and she was so nervous and agitated that she would not trust herself to speak. I paused some moments and then said with impressive deliberation: "Henriette, our relative positions here are changing fast. I came here that you might help me to push my fortunes. I know so much and am so much better and stronger a player than you, that either I shall leave you altogether to carry my knowledge to those who need it badly, or I shall stay to protect you and your fortunes from the man who is threatening both. Think of that while I go upstairs to my room; and think closely, for your future--ruin or success--is the stake at issue; and one false step may cost you everything." "You mean to threaten me?" she cried, half nervously, half in bravado. "It is more an offer of help than a threat; but you can regard it as you please;" and I went out of the room. I ran up hastily to my room full of a new idea which had just occurred to me; but fortunately not so preoccupied as to keep my eyes shut. As I passed Madame d'Artelle's room the door was not quite closed, and through the narrow slit I caught a glimpse of Ernestine. She was vigorously dusting 

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