The Dark Star

And Ilse Dumont, standing there in the rags of her frail gown,

cuddling to her breast the purring cat, looked up to meet her doom in

the steady gaze of the Princess Naïa Mistchenka.

Every atom of colour left her face, and her ashy lips parted.

Otherwise, she made no sign of fear, no movement.

There was a second's absolute silence; then the dark eyes of the

Princess turned on Neeland.

"Good heavens, James!" she said. "What has happened to you?"

"Nothing," he said gaily, "thanks to Miss Dumont----"

"To whom?" interrupted the Princess sharply.

"To Miss Dumont. We got into a silly place where it began to look as

though we'd get our heads knocked off, Sengoun and I. I'm really quite

serious, Princess. If it hadn't been for Miss Dumont--" he shrugged;

"--and that is twice she has saved my idiotic head for me," he added

cheerfully.

The Princess Naïa's dark eyes reverted to Ilse Dumont, and the pallid

girl met them steadily enough. There was no supplication in her own

eyes, no shrinking, only the hopeless tranquillity that looks Destiny

in the face--the gaze riveted unflinchingly upon the descending blow.

"What are you doing in Paris at such a time as this?" said the

Princess.

The girl's white lips parted stiffly: "Do you need to ask?"

For a full minute the Princess bent a menacing gaze on her in silence;

then: "What do you expect from me?" she demanded in a low voice. And,

stepping nearer: "What have you to expect from anyone in France on

such a day as this?"

Ilse Dumont did not answer. After a moment she dropped her head and

fumbled with the rags of her bodice, as though trying to cover the

delicately rounded shoulders. A shaft of sunlight, reflected from the

obelisk to the fountain, played in golden ripples across her hair.

Neeland looked at the Princess Naïa: "What you do is none of my business," he said pleasantly, "but--" he

smiled at her and stepped back beside Ilse Dumont, and passed his arm

through hers: "I'm a grateful beast," he added lightly, "and if I've

nine lives to lose, perhaps Miss Dumont will save seven more of them

before I'm entirely done for."

The girl gently disengaged his arm.

"You'll only get yourself into serious trouble," she murmured, "and

you can't help me, dear Neeland."

The Princess Naïa, flushed and exasperated, bit her lip.