"All of which you have heard me say quite frequently," interrupted Mrs. Wellington placidly. "Koltsoff is not pinchbeck. The Koltsoffs are an illustrious Russian family, and have been for years. I think I know my Almanach de Gotha. Why, Koltsoff is _aide-de-camp_ to the Czar and has, I believe, estates in southern Russia. His father fought brilliantly in the Russo-Turkish War and gained the Cross of St. Anne; his great, or great-great-grandfather, I don't recall which, was a general of note of Catherine the Great's, and if certain intimate histories of that time are not wholly false, her rewards for his services were scandalously bestowed." "No doubt," said the girl carelessly. "And Koltsoff?" "A genuinely distinguished fellow. He was educated, of course, at the cadet school in St. Petersburg and during the Japanese War was with the Czar. I met him in London, last May, at Lord McEncroe's, as I have already told you, I think, and when he spoke of coming to America this summer I engaged him for August." "It was rather farsighted of you," said the girl admiringly. "Newport needs some excitement this season. If he 's anything like that last Russian who came here on a warship two years ago, you will shine as a benefactor, especially in the eyes of reporters." Mrs. Wellington smiled grimly. "The Grand Duke Ivan?" "Yes; what a great bearded beast he was! I remember father bemoaning, when Ivan the Terrible departed, that there was no more of his favorite Planet brandy left in the Reading Room cellars." Mrs. Wellington did not smile. She was eying her daughter curiously. "I want you and the Prince to become good friends," she said. "That will depend upon whether he can gracefully explain his mysterious presence in Newport the past week," replied the girl laughingly. Suddenly her face grew grave. "What do you mean, mother?" "Merely that I expect--that Prince Koltsoff hopes"--and under her daughter's steady gaze, she did something she had done but once or twice in her life--floundered and then paused. The girl's lip curled, not mirthfully. "Ah, I begin to understand," she said. "Prince Koltsoff's visit was conceived hardly in the nature of ordinary social emprise." "Now, please don't go on, Anne," said the mother. "I have expressed nothing but a wish, have I? Wait until you know him." "But you said Koltsoff had expressed a--a--" "A hope, naturally. He saw Sargent's portrait of you in London." "How romantic! I do not wonder you couldn't sleep, mother." "Perhaps there were other reasons. Who was the man you ensnared outside?" Miss Wellington laughed. "Trust you, mother. He was very decent. He took me below and fed me hot biscuits and coffee. He said he was a prize fighter." "A prize fighter!" "He said so. But he was not telling the truth. He was awfully good looking and had a manner that one does not acquire. I am rather curious concerning him. You don't imagine he was Koltsoff, incog?"