"A very clever scheme," he declared, "a very clever scheme indeed." The Princess drew a little breath. Then she looked at the Count and suddenly laughed. After all, it was not worth while to be angry with such a creature. Besides, if Jeanne should turn up, she might as well have the extra money. "You give me credit, I fear," she said, "for being a cleverer woman than I am, but as a matter of curiosity, supposing I am able to hand you over Jeanne very shortly, would you agree to double the little amount we have spoken of?" "I will double it," the Count declared solemnly. "You see when I wish for a thing I am generous. I can only hope," he added, with a peculiar smile, "Miss Jeanne may soon make her reappearance." There was a knock at the door. The Princess looked up, frowning. Her maid put her head cautiously in. "I am sorry to disturb you, madam, against your orders," she said, "but Miss Jeanne has just arrived." CHAPTER XVIII The Count opened his mouth. It was his way of expressing supreme astonishment. The Princess sat bolt upright on her couch and gazed at Jeanne with wide-open and dilated eyes. Curiously enough it was the Count who first recovered himself. "Is it a game, this?" he asked softly. "You press the button and the little girl appears. That means that I increase the stakes and the prize pops up." The Princess rose to her feet. She crossed the room to meet Jeanne with outstretched arms. "Shut up, you fool!" she said to the Count in passing. "Jeanne my child," she added, "is it really you?" Jeanne accepted the proffered embrace, without enthusiasm. She recognized the Count, however, with a little wave of colour. "Yes," she said quietly, "I have come back. I am sorry I went away. It was a mistake, a great mistake." "You have driven us nearly wild with anxiety," the Princess declared. "Where have you been to?" "Yes!" the Count echoed, fixing his eyes upon her, "where have you been to?" Jeanne behaved with a composure which astonished them both. She calmly unbuttoned her gloves and seated herself in the easy-chair. "I have been to Salthouse," she said. "What! back to the Red Hall?" the Princess exclaimed. Jeanne shook her head. "No!" she said, "I have been in rooms at a farmhouse there, Caynsard's farm. I went away because I did not like the life here, and because my stepmother," she continued, turning toward the Count, "seemed determined that I should marry you. I thought that I would go away into the country, somewhere where I could think quietly. I went to Salthouse because it was the only place I knew." "You are the maddest child!" the Princess exclaimed. Jeanne smiled, a little wearily. "If I have been mad," she said, "I have come to my senses again." The Count leaned toward her eagerly. "I trust," he said, "that that means that you are ready now to obey your stepmother, and to make me very, very happy." Jeanne looked at him deliberately. "It depends," she said, "upon circumstances."