'Upon my word, Montgomery, I fail to catch your drift.' 'Well--the long and short of it is she's been flirting with you.' 'With me? You surprise me.' 'You see she didn't want you to suspect our engagement. You remember that first conversation you had with her, when she made those allusions to my height, and said she hated Americans, and so on?' I made a sign of assent. 'When she said those absurd things, though only in fun, she did not know that I was her intended; and when, a few hours later, we found each other out, she naturally felt annoyed at having spoken of me to a stranger in such terms. You understand?' 'Pray go on,' I said, taking up my palette and brushes and standing before the canvas, so that my face was turned from the speaker. 'So she begged her mother and me not to let you suspect; and the more thoroughly to lull your suspicions (and also because the girl is a born flirt, as all feminine women are) she--just--you know what--made love to you in a mild way, I suppose.' Jeff paused. 'The man is mad--raving mad!' I muttered, still making pretence of retouching my background. Jeff flowed on. 'Of course a man like you, a man of the world, a great artist, and getting on in the forties--of course I knew you'd only be amused, and would take nothing seriously; and you know you scoffed at the notion of matrimony when I asked you about it. But still she can be so attractive when she chooses that latterly I began to fear you might be the least bit fetched, after all. I told Allie I'd never forgive her if it turned out so.' 'Told--_who_?' 'Allie--Almara, you know. We always called each other "Allie" and "Jeffie" in our letters.' 'Letters? You corresponded, then?' 'Regularly--for the last five years.' 'I see; and--and so it's been a settled thing--but--is this your first meeting?' 'Yes, and that is what made it so amusing. It had been arranged, you know, that I was to meet them in Paris on the 20th----' 'Meet whom? You must excuse me, but you have such an unsystematic way of imparting your information. I'm a bit confused.' 'To meet the Semaroffs. The Count is the Russian commissioner with whom we are in treaty about the cigarette-holders. We were to be formally betrothed in Paris, Allie and I----' 'Would you mind calling her the Countess Almara in speaking of her to me? I--I have unpleasant associations with the other name. Go on.' 'The point is that, happening to stop here on my way, I was a good deal taken with the "beautiful pagan," without of course knowing who she was; and I might have made myself very unhappy about her if it hadn't been for you.' 'Eh?' 'Yes, a fact. The first I knew of my pagan maid being one and the same with Allie--Countess, I mean--was your mentioning her name to me that first day at breakfast. Don't you remember my remarking how strangely things came out? It was accident our both happening to be here, but it was you who made us known to each other. Wasn't it curious?'