"_I_ call it a truth, and belief in it an article of faith," said Mrs. Carroll, stoutly, "but these people"--she tapped the book she had laid down--"posit it as an illusion, and then demolish it by all sorts of examples that could occur nowhere outside of Gaul!" "Do you forget the books that are 'crowned'?" asked John. "When a Frenchman attempts to be spiritual, it is an unfortunate fact that he becomes insipid," asserted Mrs. Carroll, with a finality that made them laugh again. "You keep to this day your illusions!" said Hilda, softly admiring. "I am most glad to say that I do. They are worn, but serviceable still," replied Mrs. Carroll, smiling. "Even at my age, I still believe that most husbands cherish their wives, and that most wives love their husbands, and wear their names worthily." "Checkmate." "Oh, Mr. Vendell!" Hilda was so adorably regretful, and her lack of mastery of her was so captivating, that John was desperately sorry that he had taken advantage of her preoccupation. "It was Mrs. Car-roll who beat me, not you," she said. "I was listening to her and not thinking." "Of me? You never do," he whispered. She was resetting the board, and giving John delicious little thrills from her finger-tips, when Uncle Jimmy threw open the door. "Baron von Rittenheim," he announced. Sydney rose in greeting, and Mrs. Carroll gave an exclamation of pleasure at the coming of her favorite, but both were startled into silence by Hilda's cry. The chess-board emptied its burden upon the floor with many tinkling crashes, and she was on her feet, one hand pressed against her head, and the other turned palm outward as if to avert a blow. A grayness like the livery of death came over her face, but now so vitally warm. The red lamp-light behind increased her ghastliness. Her eyes were fixed on the man who had followed von Rittenheim into the room. "You, you!" she whispered, hoarsely. Von Sternburg gave a cry of amazement. "The Baroness--_here_! Why didn't you tell me, Friedrich?" he demanded, while his mind quickly reviewed the possible relations between von Rittenheim and his sister-in-law, and considered the effect upon them of his frank disclosures of the morning. Friedrich, whose gaze had been searching keenly first one face and then the other, gave a nod, and without replying to his friend, introduced him to Mrs. Carroll and Sydney. Von Sternburg bent over each hand and then approached Hilda. She was regaining her control, though she trembled so violently as to justify in his precaution Wendell, who had sprung to her, fearing that she would fall. "This is an unexpected meeting, Baroness," von Sternburg said, in English. "Why have you come?" she asked, in the same hoarse but articulate whisper. "As I told Fr-riedrich, Baedeker brought me. I had no idea that I was to have the pleasure of seeing him again among these mountains, much less, you."