Sylvia felt somewhat surprised. It was odd that he should have overheard her words to M. Polperro, amid all the chatter of their fellow-guests. "Yes, I am going to the Casino," she said frankly, "but only to meet a friend of mine there, the lady with whom I was the other day when you so kindly interfered to save us, or rather to save _me_, from being ignominiously turned out of the Club." And then she added, a little shyly, "Won't you sit down?" Again the Comte de Virieu bowed low before her, and then he sat down. "I fear you will not be allowed to go into the Club this time unless you become a member. They have to be very strict in these matters; to allow a stranger in the Club at all is a legal infraction. The Casino authorities might be fined for doing so." "How well you speak English!" exclaimed Sylvia, abruptly and irrelevantly. "I was at school in England," he said, simply, "at a Catholic College called Beaumont, near Windsor; but now I do not go there as often as I should like to do." And then, scarcely knowing how it came about, Sylvia fell into easy, desultory, almost intimate talk with this entire stranger. But there was something very agreeable in his simple serious manners. After a while Sylvia suddenly remembered that the Count had thrown his cigarette away before speaking to her. "Won't you smoke?" she said. "Are you sure you don't mind, Madame?" "No, of course I don't mind!" and she was just going to add that her husband had been a great smoker, when some feeling she could not have analysed to herself made her alter her words to "My father smoked all day long--" The Count got up and went off towards the house. Sylvia supposed he had gone to get his cigarette-case; but a moment later he came back and sat down by her again. And then very soon out came the host's pretty little niece with a shawl over her arm. "I have brought Madame a shawl," said the girl, smiling, "for it's getting a little cold," and Sylvia felt touched. How very kind French people were--how kind and how thoughtful! It struck half-past eight. Mrs. Bailey and the Comte de Virieu had been talking for quite a long time. Sylvia jumped up. "I must go now," she cried, a little regretfully. "I promised to meet my friend in the hall of the Casino at half-past eight. She must be there waiting for me, now." "If you will allow me to do so, I will escort you to the Casino," said the Count. Sylvia ran upstairs to put on her hat and gloves. On the table which did duty for a dressing-table there was a small nosegay of flowers in a glass of water. It had not been there before she had come down to dinner. As she put on a large black tulle hat she told herself with a happy smile that Lacville was an enchanting, a delightful place, and that she already felt quite at home here! The Comte de Virieu was waiting for her in the hall. "I think I ought to introduce myself to you, Madame," he said solemnly. "My name is Paul de Virieu."