Her hand disappeared for a moment down her back. She threw the platinum chain and stone which she was wearing, on to the dressing-table. In a moment another flashed upon her bosom. "You see," she went on, "how simple! I obeyed. On the stage I wore that great beautiful stone, and even before I had reached my room, in the passage, the other hung in its place." Leopold Brinnen smiled amiably. Nevertheless, he was a little apologetic as he turned towards his sister. "It is that man Brodie," he sighed. "He is so persistent and yet he has not the wits for success. He wearies me with his blunders. This is just a little lesson." "A little lesson," Henriette repeated reproachfully, with a sob in her throat, "which might have cost us----" He waved his hand. "Ah, no, little sister!" he protested. "You take too gloomy a view. Even Paul Brodie," he continued, lowering his voice so that it was inaudible at the other end of the room, "has not yet succeeded in forging the missing link between Jeremiah Sands and Captain Brinnen of the Belgian Artillery. You permit now, madame," he went on, turning back to the others, "that I present to you my sister and Monsieur Aaron Rodd. Mademoiselle Larilly," he explained, "is the wife of Monsieur Larkson here, whom I take the liberty also to present. What do you say? Which stone shall mademoiselle wear when she sings her next song?" "One may play with fire a little too long," Aaron Rodd observed. "Leopold!" his sister implored, clasping her hands. The young man bowed. "It shall be as you will," he promised, holding out his hand and accepting the stone which Mademoiselle Larilly was eagerly pressing upon him. "Into my pocket with this one, then. Madame shall dance for the first time in her life with a worthless bauble around her throat, but there shall be a recompense. I insist. We will all sup together at Giro's. You agree? And you, Rodd? My sister," he added, "will, I am sure, be delighted to see more of you, madame, and your husband." "It will give me the greatest pleasure," Henriette assented. A call boy came shouting down the passage. "Giro's at eleven-thirty," Brinnen reminded them all. "It shall be au revoir, then, madame!" Henriette said, as she passed through the door which Aaron was holding open for her. * * * * * There was a great relief in Henriette's face as she leaned back in the darkest corner of the box and closed her eyes. The atmosphere of the evening, however, had departed. She was no longer full of that quivering, electrical gaiety. She watched the rest of the performance with interest and talked now and then to Aaron, but their homeward drive afterwards was performed almost in silence. She rested her fingers in his and leaned back. "Forgive me if I rest," she murmured. "I am terrified. I shake now when I think of that moment." "It is all over now," he reminded her. "Try and be quiet for a little time." Presently she sat up.