His Hour

The lunch passed off with quiet reserve--there was no one present but

Stephen Strong. Tamara endeavored to behave naturally and answered

Gritzko whenever he spoke to her. He, too, played his part, but the

tone of things did not impose upon Stephen Strong.

As they were leaving the diningroom, on the plea of finding something,

Tamara went to her room, and Gritzko took his leave.

"I will fetch you for the French plays tonight, Tantine," he said, "and

probably will come back to tea--tell Tamara," and so he left, and the

two old friends were alone.

They stirred their coffee and then lit cigarettes--there was an awkward

silence for a moment, and then the Princess said: "Stephen, I count upon you to help us all over this. I do not, and will

not, even guess what has happened, but of course something has. Only

tell me, do you think he loves her? I cannot bear the idea of Tamara's

being unhappy."

The old Englishman puffed rings of smoke.

"If she is prepared never to cross his will, but let him be absolute

master of her body and soul, while he makes continuous love to her, I

should think she will be the happiest woman in the world. She is madly

infatuated with him. She has been ever since we came from Egypt--I saw

the beginning on the boat--and I warned you, as you know, when I

thought he was only fooling."

"In Egypt!--they had met before then!" the Princess exclaimed,

surprised; "how like Gritzko to pretend he did not know her,--and be

introduced all over again! They had already quarreled, I suppose, and

that accounts for the cat and dog like tone there has always been

between them."

"Probably," said Stephen Strong; but now I think we can leave it to

chance. You may be certain that to marry her is what he wishes most to

do,--or he would not have asked her."

"Not even if--he thought he ought to?"

"No--dear friend. No! I believe I know Gritzko even better than you do.

If there was a sense of obligation, and no desire in the case, he

would simply shoot her and himself, rather than submit to a fate

against his inclination. You may rest in peace about that. Whatever

strain there is between them, it is not of that sort. I believe he

adores her in his odd sort of way, just let them alone now and all will

be well."

And greatly comforted the Princess was able to go out calling.