His Hour

Tamara felt her cheeks burn--and her pride galled her more than ever.

So she and the ex-dancer were in the same boat?--but she at least would

not try to commit suicide and be restored by--salad oil!

"How perfectly ridiculous!" she said, with rather a bitter little

laugh. "What complete bathos!"

"It was unfortunate, was it not?" Valonne went on, and he glanced at

Tamara sideways.

He guessed that she was interested in the Prince; but Valonne was a

charming creature with an understanding eye, and in their set was in

great request. He knew exactly the right thing to talk about to each

different person, as a perfect diplomat should, and he was too tactful

and sympathetic to tease poor Tamara. On the contrary, he told her

casually that Gritzko had been on some duty these three days, in case

she did not know it.

From the beginning Tamara always had liked Valonne.

Then into the box came the same good-looking Chevalier Garde, Count

Varishkine, whom she had talked to on the last occasion of Gritzko's

visit, and the spirit of hurt pride caused her to be most gracious with

him. Meanwhile the Princess Ardácheff watched her with a faint

sensation of uneasiness, and at last whispered to Stephen Strong: "Does not my godchild seem to be developing new characteristics,

Stephen? She is so very stately and quiet; and yet to-night it would

almost seem she is being flirtatious with Boris Varishkine.--I trust we

shall have no complications. What do you think?"

Mr. Strong laughed.

"It will depend upon how much it angers Gritzko. It could come to mean

anything--bloodshed, a scandal, or merely bringing things to a crisis

between them.--Let us hope, for the latter."

"Indeed, yes"

"You must remember, for an Englishwoman it would be very difficult to

grasp all the possibilities in the character of Gritzko. We are not

accustomed to these tempestuous headlong natures in our calm country."

"Fortunately Boris and Gritzko are very great friends."

"I never heard that the warmest friendship prevented jealousy between

men," Stephen Strong said, a little cynically--he had suffered a good

deal in his youth.

"I am delighted we are going to Moscow. There will be no Boris, and I

shall arrange for my two children to be together as much as possible. I

feel that is the surest way," the Princess answered; and they talked of

other things.

After the ballet was over the party went on to supper at Cubat's in a

private room, contrary to the Princess' custom. But it was Stephen

Strong's entertainment, and he had no house to invite them to.