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Dominey did as he was bidden The furthers of book-filled shelves, were illuain except this one," she directed, "and wheel me up an easy-chair No, I choose this settee Please seat yourself byto be serious?" he asked, with soht disquietude

"Serious but wonderful," sheher eyes to his "Will you please listen to me, Leopold?"

She was half curled up in a corner of the settee, her head resting slightly upon her long fingers, her brown eyes steadily fixed upon her companion There was an ats Doid lines as he realised the appeal of her eyes

"Leopold," she began, "I left this country a feeeks ago, feeling that you were a brute, deterain, half inclined to expose you before I went as an impostor and a charlatan Germany means little to ations left o home and never to return to London My heart was bruised, and I was very unhappy"

She paused, but her co, however, that speech beca, Princess," he said caler Leopold"

She laughed at him with a curious mixture of tenderness and bitterness

"My friend," she continued, "I am terrified to think, besides your name, how much of humanity you have lost in your new identity To proceed it suited my convenience to remain for a few days in Berlin, and I was therefore coreat surprise Wilhelh, alas! my heart is still bruised, he helped me to understand"

"Is this wise?" he asked a little desperately

She ignored his words

"I was taken back into favour at Court," she went on "For that I owe to you my thanks Wilhelm was much impressed by your recent visit to him, and by the way in which you have established yourself here He spoke also arm commendation of your labours in Africa, which he seemed to appreciate all the more as you were sent there an exile He askedher voice a little, "if ed"