IT was certainly one of the most untimely kicks which Fate could have dealt me; and it took all my reserved strength to brace myself and shake off my first feeling of dismay in order to put any sort of face on the thing. But I have a good deal of india-rubber in me.

So I pulled myself together, and surprised them all by turning on Boreski and saying, in a very sharp tone—

“Why didn’t you get here a quarter of an hour sooner, and have saved half this embarrassment?” It is generally a safe tactic when something goes wrong to attack the other fellow. Boreski started, and I followed up the attack. “If you loiter and fool away the time at such a crisis, what is it but just opening the door and inviting trouble to walk in?”

“I have not wasted a single minute, monsieur,” he replied. “Besides, I cannot see what that has to do with it.”

“Mademoiselle can tell you,” and I looked at Helga. I think she saw the drift, but she said nothing. Poor girl, she was too overwhelmed by the fiasco of her plans.

“The question is not whether I came soon or late, monsieur,” said Boreski with slow precision, “but who and what you are.”

“That’s exactly what I mean. The very pith of it.”

“I do not understand you, monsieur.”

“That does not trouble me very much; but mademoiselle does.” I was resolved to force her to speak. Besides, my temper was beginning to be tried by Boreski’s manner.

“This is a matter for us as men to settle without bringing Mademoiselle Helga, or any other woman, into it.”

“Rubbish and nonsense,” I said irritably.

“Monsieur!” he exclaimed angrily, “I do not permit any one to address such words to me. You will not explain your imposture by insulting me.”

“Keep your temper with me, if you please, monsieur, or you will only render a bad situation worse.”

“This is monstrous,” said the Duchess Stephanie. “He is Prince Kalkov’s spy, of course, and seeks to cover the infamy of his imposture with this amazing insolence.”

This gave me an excellent cue, for I saw Helga wince; and I hoped she resented alike the charge, and the way it was made. What the other two thought of me I cared not a five-cent piece: and with Helga herself I had only to explain away my last act of implied confirmation of her mistake as to my identity. It would not be easy, of course, because the disappointment to her must inevitably cause her to exaggerate its meanness.

“I am neither a criminal nor a spy, madame,” I said.

“I will have an explanation,” cried Boreski insistently.

“I have no explanation to give, except that if you had arrived a quarter of an hour earlier all this—this excitement would have been unnecessary. For what occurred in that quarter of an hour I am profoundly sorry;” and I looked again at Helga.

“You are right, Stephanie; this is a monstrous thing,” cried Boreski. He rose and came toward me, and said, with a sort of fierce contemptuousness: “You do not explain because you have no explanation. You are a spy; some new and zealous member of the secret police, no doubt. You will be kept here until I find means to make you speak.”“Good,” exclaimed the Duchess, “very good. The only way, of course.”

I contented myself with a shrug of the shoulders, and met his angry look with one of complete indifference.

“I have seen that kind of mood before with other impostors and spies of the same type.”

“Your opinion of me, M. Boreski, is a matter of absolute indifference.” I said this calmly and deliberately, and added: “And I repeat, you are only making a bad situation much worse.”

“Such effrontery!” exclaimed the Duchess, with another of her angry comments.

“I give you a last chance to tell the whole truth about yourself, before I send for the men and hand you over to them.”

“It’s very good of you, monsieur,” I answered flippantly; and then turning to Helga: “It occurs to me, mademoiselle, that while we are quarrelling here, we are wasting invaluable time.”

“Why don’t you speak?” she replied, breaking her long silence.

The Duchess Stephanie, not understanding what lay beneath the words, shrugged her shoulders and gave an audible sniff of contempt.

Boreski, on the other hand, crossed to the bell.

“We will have no more of this. I will have the men in.”

“Stay.” This from Helga, in an unmistakable tone of command.

The other two stared at her for an explanation.

“We cannot detain M. Denver. You are at liberty to leave the house, monsieur,” she said, turning to me.

“But that is just what I will not do—at any rate, yet. When I know you are safe, I will do whatever you wish.”

“I do not need your further assistance, monsieur.” This very proudly.“Can’t you see that you are just a little unjust?”

“You have deceived me grossly, monsieur.”

“Only because you would not let me undeceive you; and I saw, or thought, the only way left was to let you believe what I saw you persisted in believing.”

“You saw it, then, and acted intentionally?” she said, very bitterly.

“Yes; I don’t deny that with regard to what passed between us last. But I thought—I hoped you felt you could trust me.”

She lowered her eyes and avoided the earnest look I directed on her; and there was a pause of some length. Then, without looking at me, she said—

“I can only say now, you are free to go, monsieur.”

“While you are threatened by the dangers I have all unintentionally brought upon you, I will not go.”

“It is impossible for you to remain, monsieur.”

“I have said my last word on that point, mademoiselle.”

Boreski had fidgetted uneasily as we spoke, and now intervened.

“You have heard, monsieur, what——”

“Silence, if you please, M. Boreski,” I cried with heat. “You do not understand. If I cannot comply with mademoiselle’s wishes, do you think I shall heed what you say? It is you, with your hot-headed quarrel with Drexel last night, who have brought about all this mess. And Heaven knows it is bad enough to satisfy any ordinary blunderer.”

Boreski fell back before my hot words and looks, but his wife was quick to take offence. She got up pale and angry.

“Either that spy is driven from the house, Helga, or I do not stay in it. I will not hear my husband insulted.”

It was like a woman of her type, of course, to put her oar in with such a silly splash and make things much worse. But it had the effect I wished. It forced Helga to defend me.“You do not understand, Duchess. M. Denver is no spy. He came to us yesterday under equivocal circumstances, but this morning took the first moment to tell me he was not the—was no other than M. Denver, an American; and I in my blindness could not and did not believe it. It is I who am responsible. It is all a terrible tangle, but I will answer for him.”

“I thank you for that, mademoiselle. I was sure you would do me justice.” I was so happy at her words that I could easily afford to ignore the sneer with which the Duchess resumed her seat.

“It is all very extraordinary,” she said hastily. “But you are right in one thing, Helga, I do not in the least understand it.”

Helga did not appear at all anxious to explain, so I took the opportunity to make my own position clearer, not for the Duchess’s benefit, but for Helga’s.

“It is as simple as disastrous, madame,” I said. “M. Boreski, having quarrelled last night with this Drexel, the latter went to M. Vastic, one of the leaders of the Nihilist Brotherhood, and told him he would find the Emperor at mademoiselle’s villa. He went there, and finding we had come on here, he and others followed us, and he attempted my life. I shot him, and I have since dragged from Drexel the admission that many of his associates are coming here, and it is extremely probable they will make some attack upon us to avenge him. Their vengeance would of course include both M. Boreski and Mademoiselle Helga, as well as myself. That is why I cannot leave until she is safe.”

“Drexel is here, then?” said Boreski quickly.

“If you wish him to confirm what I have said, monsieur, you can question him. But I think we ought to be seeing to things.”

“It is horrible,” exclaimed the Duchess, intensely frightened. “If I am discovered here everything will be ruined. Loris, you must take me back to the city at once.” One excuses a woman for thinking first of herself, of course, and I quite appreciated the awkwardness of her position. But Helga was not so tolerant. She looked at the Duchess coldly and a little scornfully.

“M. Boreski had better take you away at once, Duchess,” she said.

“I had better go,” said Boreski. “What must be done is to explain to Vastic’s friends the manner in which we have all been duped.”

It was my cue, of course, and I saw my way instantly. But it struck Helga from quite a different point of view.

“That would be only to turn this into a private feud against M. Denver for the death of Vastic. That is as impossible as it would be dishonourable.”

“Cannot this gentleman defend himself? He came of his own will surely, and should not shirk the consequences,” said the Duchess.

“M. Boreski is right,” I put in, “and I think I see a way.” I got up as I spoke.

“What are you going to do, monsieur?” asked Helga quickly, in some concern.

“I am going to obey your wishes, mademoiselle, and leave the house,” I answered with a smile.

“I should not let him go. If these men come here it will be in search of him; and if you give him up to them, it will show them they have nothing against Loris and you, Helga.”

But Helga was thinking closely, and seemed not to hear this admirable advice. Boreski looked from one to the other in doubt what to do. For a few moments there was silence.

Then an ominous interruption came from outside. A sound of a pistol shot, followed by running footsteps along the verandah, and the violent slamming of a door somewhere.

The Duchess jumped to her feet in fear and great agitation.

“What can that be?” she cried.“I fear it means you must delay your flight, Duchess,” said Helga with scarcely veiled disdain.

“Have I your permission to go and see what has occurred, mademoiselle?” I asked; and without waiting for it, I turned to the door.

As I opened it, Ivan reached it.

“Can I speak to you a moment, my lord?” he asked, looking very set and determined, and breathing quickly.

“I will come with you,” said Helga. We went out and left Boreski and his excited, panic-stricken wife alone. “What has happened, Ivan?” asked Helga. “That shot; is any one hurt?”

“No, mademoiselle. I was outside looking round, thinking it best to keep a watch, and two men who had concealed themselves in the shrubbery rushed upon me. I fired the shot more to give the alarm than thinking to harm them, and then ran back indoors.”

“What do you think it means, Ivan?” I asked.

“I think there is only one explanation, my lord. There must have been some of M. Vastic’s friends in the district, and they have come because of his death.”

“Do you know how many?”

“I cannot say for certain, my lord. I saw several as I ran to the house door.”

“You have done very well to find this out and give us warning. But we must devise means to avoid a conflict of any kind. They may be merely watching the house; I should think that’s most probable, indeed. They would scarcely attempt to force an entrance.”

“They attacked me, your honour,” said Ivan.

“Merely to get from you who was inside, I expect. So keep as vigilant a watch as you can, while I think what to do. Of course they must be kept out—at any rate, for a time.”

I had my purpose fixed already, and when Ivan had gone I turned to Helga, and found her eyes fixed upon my face steadily. I did not wish her to read my thoughts, and forced up a smile.

“I think Ivan has unnecessarily alarmed us, mademoiselle.”

“I am trying to guess what is in your thoughts, monsieur.”

“I shall be very happy to tell you. I think these men have come to watch the house, as their habit is,” I replied briefly.

“What an actor you are!”

“A man who has knocked about the world as I have picks up the knack, more or less, I suppose. I seem to have played the part with you a bit too well, I am afraid. I should like you to know that I’m horribly sorry and horribly ashamed.”

“To-night when you spoke of my leaving here with you, you allowed me to deceive myself. You allowed it intentionally.”

“Yes; I did more. I encouraged the deception. I suppose you can’t think a man would do a mean thing for any but a mean motive, yet I——” I broke off, and threw up my hands. “It’s no use trying to explain all I felt. I can’t do it.” We were standing in the large square hall, and I walked to one end and stood by the great stove. “When I look at you and think of it, I feel like what they said of me in there—a spy. I was one when I came to you.”

“You spoke of taking me to the Palace?”

“I meant to do it, too. I would have got you to the Emperor. I should have had some claim on him for this business, and I’d have got you a hearing. But I suppose it looks to you like treachery.”

“And you made me think that, as the Emperor, you were taking me there to do me justice. I should never trust you again.”

“Don’t rub it in. I feel quite mean enough already. You might be sorry, too. I’m not going to ask you to trust me again.”

“And you could listen as you did to all my story! To think I should have put myself in the power of such a man.”

I winced under this punishment as a dog under the lash.

“Do you think I should betray you?”

“How can I tell, after what has happened?”

“True. There is that, of course.” I paused with a frown of pain. “Is it any good for me to say I should not? I wish you could say you don’t think it.”

“What are your wishes to me?” she cried, flashing her eyes at me.

“Nothing, of course; or less than nothing—just spurs to your contempt, it seems. Well, I don’t suppose there’s anything else to be said.”

“If I have made you feel how dishonourably you have acted, and how cruelly your conduct has crushed and ruined everything I hold dear, it may perhaps make you pause when you find your next victim.”

“I’m not likely to forget even without these lashes of yours to remind me.” I could endure no more of this merciless injustice. “I will go and see what Ivan is doing,” I added, recrossing the hall.

“Stop, if you please. I have faithful servants who will protect me if I am in any danger. I will not be beholden for my safety to you, M. Denver.”

I turned and looked at her scornful, angry face. I had rather she had struck me.

“My God!” I cried, “Even that;” and I sat on a lounge and put my hand to my head. There was a rustle of skirts, and when I looked up she had gone, and left me to my belated remorse and my new purpose.

I would have given anything for a single word of forgiveness, or even for a glance of some feeling less bitter than her contempt and anger. Well, it would have to come afterwards, when I had saved her, despite her repudiation of my help; and I rose to carry out my plan.

I went to Ivan and asked him what he had seen. He told me a number of men were round the house. He noticed that I was pale—for the interview with Helga had shaken me badly—and asked if I was ill.

“No, I am not ill, Ivan, but strange things have happened. Listen to me and help me. I am not what you have thought, but what I told you during the ride—M. Denver, an American. All unwillingly I have brought your mistress into great danger, and I am going to get her out of it. I am going to those men outside to convince them I am only what I have told you.”

“But——” he began excitedly.

“Don’t interrupt me and don’t look like a madman. This must be done, otherwise they will never believe that mademoiselle has not been guilty of treachery to them, and her life will always be in danger at their hands. Now, don’t be a fool and make a fuss. I caused the trouble, and I must find the way out of it. And the only way is this.”

“Great Lord of the Earth, they will kill you before you can get time for a word. It is madness, monsieur, stark, staring madness.”

“Don’t waste time in this way. I know the risk you speak of as well as you, and I am content to face it. If that happens, what you have to do is to make them know the truth after they’ve done it. It will be easier then; but, easy or difficult, you must make them understand it somehow; for only so can we save your mistress’s life. She told Vastic in the other man’s hearing that I was not the Emperor; remember that, and rub it into them well; and make them understand that Vastic’s death was my act and mine only. Of course, if they don’t pot me off-hand, I may be able to open their eyes myself.”

“I must tell the mademoiselle, monsieur,” he protested.

“You’ll do nothing of the sort. If you do, I’ll—I’ll thrash you. Just lead me to a door I can get out by quietly, and leave the rest to me.”He looked at me so long and earnestly that I thought he was going to protest again. But he did not. Instead, he seized my hand and pressed it to his forehead.

“Let me go with you, monsieur,” he cried, almost hoarsely.

“Don’t be a fool,” I said roughly, although his devotion touched me very nearly. “Show me the way out. You’d be no use to me out there, and your mistress can’t spare us both at such a time.”

“Come then, monsieur,” and he led the way down a long corridor. “Wait, monsieur, while I see if they are near the door,” he muttered, and then left me. He was gone so long that I grew irritable, and when he came back I spoke very sharply.

“This will be the best way, monsieur,” and taking me to the front door of the house, he left me again.

“Come here, and be ready to shut and bolt it after me, Ivan,” I said angrily, as I drew back two of the heavy bolts.

As I did so, I felt a light touch on my arm, and turned quickly to find Helga, white and agitated, by my side.

Then I knew why Ivan had run away. If he had not, I would have made my threat good.