me by them。〃
〃A … a hold upon her？〃 Helene repeated vaguely。
〃It is all I can tell you。 You must suppose an extreme case。 You
may take my word for it that under certain circumstances Lucille
would have no power to deny them anything。〃
〃But … without a word of farewell。 They could not insist upon her
leaving you like that！ It is incredible！〃
〃It is quite possible；〃 Mr。 Sabin said。
Helene caught herself looking at him stealthily。 Was it possible
that this wonderful brain had given way at last？ There were no
signs of it in his face or expression。 But the Duchess of Dorset！
Lady Carey！ These were women of her own circle … Londoners； and
the Duchess； at any rate； a woman of the very highest social
position and unimpeached conventionality。
〃This sounds … very extraordinary； UNCLE！〃 she remarked a little
lamely。
〃It is extraordinary；〃 he answered drily。 〃I do not wonder that
you find it hard to believe me。 I … 〃
〃Not to believe … to understand！〃
He smiled。
〃We will not distinguish！ After all； what does it matter？ Assume；
if you cannot believe； that Lucille's leaving me may have been at
the instigation of these people； and therefore involuntary。 If
this be so I have hard battle to fight to win her back； but in the
end I shall do it。〃
She nodded sympathetically。
〃I am sure；〃 she said； 〃that you will not find it difficult。 Tell
me； cannot I help you in any way？ I know the Duchess very well
indeed … well enough to take you to call quite informally if you
please。 She is a great supporter of what they call the Primrose
League here。 I do not understand what it is all about； but it
seems that I may not join because my husband is a Radical。〃
Mr。 Sabin looked for a moment over his clasped hands through the
faint blue cloud of cigarette smoke； and sundry possibilities
flashed through his mind to be at once rejected。 He shook his
head。
〃No！〃 he said firmly。 〃I do not wish for your help at present；
directly or indirectly。 If you meet the Countess I would rather
that you did not mention my name。 There is only one person whom；
if you met at Dorset House or anywhere where Lucille is； I would
ask you to watch。 That is Mr。 Brott！〃
It was to be a conversation full of surprises for Helene。 Mr。
Brott！ Her hand went up to her forehead for a moment； and a
little gesture of bewilderment escaped her。
〃Will you tell me；〃 she asked almost plaintively； 〃what on earth
Mr。 Brott can have to do with this business … with… Lucille … with
you … with any one connected with it？〃
Mr。 Sabin shrugged his shoulders。
〃Mr。 Brott；〃 he remarked； 〃a Cabinet Minister of marked Radical
proclivities； has lately been a frequent visitor at Dorset House；
which is the very home of the old aristocratic Toryism。 Mr。 Brott
was acquainted with Lucille many years ago … in Vienna。 At that
time he was； I believe； deeply interested in her。 I must confess
that Mr。 Brott causes me some uneasiness。
〃I think … that men always know；〃 Helene said； 〃if they care to。
Was Lucille happy with you？〃
〃Absolutely。 I am sure of it。〃
〃Then your first assumption must be correct；〃 she declared。 〃You
cannot explain things to me； so I cannot help you even with my
advice。 I am sorry。〃
He turned his head towards her and regarded her critically； as
though making some test of her sincerity。
〃Helene；〃 he said gravely； 〃it is for your own sake that I do not
explain further； that I do not make things clearer to you。 Only
I wanted you to understand why I once more set foot in Europe。 I
wanted you to understand why I am here。 It is to win back Lucille。
It is like that with me； Helene。 I； who once schemed and plotted
for an empire； am once more a schemer and a worker； but for no
other purpose than to recover possession of the woman whom I love。
You do not recognise me； Helene。 I do not recognise myself。
Nevertheless； I would have you know the truth。 I am here for that；
and for no other purpose。〃
He rose slowly to his feet。 She held out both her hands and
grasped his。
〃Let me help you； she begged。 〃Do！ This is not a matter of
politics or anything compromising。 I am sure that I could be
useful to you。〃
〃So you can；〃 he answered quietly。 〃Do as I have asked you。 Watch
Mr。 Brott！〃
CHAPTER XVI
Mr。 Brott and Mr。 Sabin dined together … not； as it happened； at
the House of Commons； but at the former's club in Pall Mall。 For
Mr。 Sabin it was not altogether an enjoyable meal。 The club was
large； gloomy and political； the cooking was exactly of that order
which such surroundings seemed to require。 Nor was Mr。 Brott a
particularly brilliant host。 Yet his guest derived a certain amount
of pleasure from the entertainment； owing to Brott's constant
endeavours to bring the conversation round to Lucille。
〃I find；〃 he said； as they lit their cigarettes； 〃that I committed
an indiscretion the other day at Camperdown House！〃
Mr。 Sabin assumed the puzzled air of one endeavouring to pin down
an elusive memory。
〃Let me see；〃 he murmured doubtfully。 〃It was in connection with … 〃
〃The Countess Radantz。 If you remember； I told you that it was her
desire just now to remain incognito。 I； however； unfortunately
forgot this during the course of our conversation。〃
〃Yes； I remember。 You told me where she was staying。 But the
Countess and I are old acquaintances。 I feel sure that she did not
object to your having given me her address。 I could not possibly
leave London without calling upon her。〃
Mr。 Brott moved in his chair uneasily。
〃It seems presumption on my part to make such a suggestion perhaps；〃
he said slowly； 〃but I really believe that the Countess is in
earnest with reference to her desire for seclusion just at present。
I believe that she is really very anxious that her presence in
London； just now should not be generally known。〃
〃I am such a very old friend；〃 Mr。 Sabin said。 〃I knew her when
she was a child。〃
Mr。 Brott nodded。
〃It is very strange；〃 he said； 〃that you should have come together
again in such a country as America； and in a small town too。〃
〃Lenox；〃 Mr。 Sabin said； 〃is a small place； but a great center。
By the bye； is there not some question of an impending marriage on
the part of the Countess？〃
〃I have heard … of nothing of the sort；〃 Mr。 Brott said； looking up
startled。 Then； after a moment's pause； during which he studied
closely his companion's imperturbable face； he added the question
which forced its way to his lips。
〃Have you？〃
Mr。 Sabin looked along his cigarette and pinched it affectionately。
It was one of his own； which he had dexterously substituted for
those which his host had placed at his disposal。
〃The Countess is a very charming； a very beautiful； and a most
attractive woman；〃 he said slowly。 〃Her marriage has always seemed
to me a matter of certainty。〃
Mr。 Brott hesitated； and was lost。
〃You are an old friend of hers；〃 he said。 〃You perhaps know more
of her recent history than I do。 For a time she seemed to drop out
of my life altogether。 Now that she has come back I am very anxious
to persuade her to marry me。〃
A single lightning…like flash in Mr。 Sabine's eyes for a moment
disconcerted his host。 But； after all； it was gone with such
amazing suddenness that it left behind it a sense of unreality。
Mr。 Brott decided that after all it must have been fancy。
〃May I ask；〃 Mr。 Sabin said quietly； 〃whether the Countess appears
to receive your suit with favour？〃
Mr。 Brott hesitated。
〃I am afraid I cannot go so far as to say that she does；〃 he said
regretfully。 〃I do not know why I find myself talking on this
matter to you。 I feel that I should apologise for giving such a
personal turn to the conversation。〃
〃I beg that you will do nothing of the sort；〃 Mr。 Sabin protested。
〃I am； as a matter of fact； most deeply interested。〃
〃You encourage me；〃 Mr。 Brott declared； 〃to ask you a question … to
me a very important question。〃
〃It will give me great pleasure；〃 Mr。 Sabin assured him； 〃if I am
able to answer it。〃
〃You know；〃 Mr。 Brott said； 〃of that portion of her life concerning
which I have asked no questions； but which somehow； whenever I think
of it； fills me with a certain amount of uneasiness。 I refer to the
last three years which the Countess has spent in America。〃
Mr。 Sabin looked up； and his lips seemed to move； but he said
nothing。 Mr。 Brott felt perhaps that he was on difficult ground。
〃I recognise the fact；〃 he continued slowly； 〃that you are the
friend of the Countess； and that you and I are nothing more than
the merest acquaintances。 I ask my question therefore with some
diffidence。 Can you tell me from your recent； more intimate
knowledge of the Countess and her affairs； whether there exists
any reason outside her own inclinations why she should not accept
my proposals of marriage？〃
Mr。 Sabin had the air of a man gravely surprised。 He shook his
head very slightly。
〃You must not ask me such a question as that； Mr。 Brott；〃 he said。
〃It is not a subject which I could possibly discuss with you。 But
I have no objection to going so far as this。 My experience of the
Countess is that she is a woman of magnificent and effective will
power。 I think if she has any desire to marry you there are or
could be no obstacles existing which she would not easily dispose
of。〃
〃There are obstacles； then？〃
〃You must not ask me that；〃 Mr。 Sabin said； with a certain amount
of stiffness。 〃The Countess is a very dear friend of mine； and
you must forgive me now if I say that I prefer not to discuss her
any longer。〃
A hall servant entered the room； bearing a note for Mr。 Brott。 He
received it at first carelessly； but his expression changed the
moment he saw the superscription。 He turned a little away； and
Mr。 Sabin noticed that the fingers which tore open the envelope were
trembling。 The note seemed short enough； but he must have read it
half a dozen times before at last he turned round to the messenger。
〃There is no answer；〃 he said in a low tone。
He folded the note and put it carefully into his breast pocket。 Mr。
Sabin subdued an insane desire to struggle with him and discover；
by