"My dear Estelle," Boris cried, with a greater show of tenderness than he had yet exhibited, "surely I have been true enough and faithful enough all these years for you to believe me now. Indeed, you must believe in me, because if you don't believe in me and give me your support the cup of happiness which is so near our lips may be dashed away from them. "Wait!" he went on, "and see whether I am speaking the truth or not." Nevertheless, Madame was restless and ill at ease. "If I had seen that girl before to-day," she said, "I should never have entered into this business with you." "Then you would have been a fool," said Boris, rudely. "Possibly, but still, even at the risk of your displeasure, there are a few things which I do not care to do." Boris glanced at her sharply. "Of course," she continued, "it is too late now. I have made up my mind, and we will go through with it, but frankly, I don't like this business." "Never mind," said Boris; "it will not last forever. To-morrow ought to settle it." As Madame at this point started to leave the room, Boris enjoined her to silence; and though Madame promised that she would not discuss his affairs with Natalie, she was, if the truth were told, not quite decided whether she would keep her word. Then Boris sent for Michael. "Mark you, Michael," he said, "I will have no hanky-panky games in this house. And, mark you, too, I have no desire to have Madame Estelle and Mademoiselle Vseslavitch becoming too friendly. You never can rely on women. They are funny creatures, and Madame is far too sympathetic with the girl already. So I shall look to you to stop anything of that sort. "For the rest, you will know what to do if certain contingencies should arise. I have not brought the dogs here for nothing." He broke off and shuddered a little himself as at some short distance from the house he could hear the baying of the great hounds. "They are loose, I suppose?" he asked. Michael nodded. "Then Heaven help the stranger," he rejoined with a cruel laugh, and pulling a rug over himself he lay down to sleep on the sofa. CHAPTER XXIV Boris had left no instructions in regard to Mademoiselle's food, and as she did not consider it advisable to let the unfortunate girl starve, Madame set a tray, with the intention of carrying it up to Natalie's room. Before she could do this, however, it was necessary to send for Michael in order to obtain the key. When she asked for it, he shifted uneasily from one foot to the other. "I have very strict orders," he said. "What do you mean?" Madame demanded sharply. "What do you mean?" "Simply that the master said that you and the young lady were not to get talking too much. He said nothing about food, or of waiting on her highness, and it didn't occur to me until this morning that it was a bit awkward for a chap like myself to wait on her. "However," he added, with a smirk, "I don't so much mind."