"I judged that you were," Phil replied, with studied politeness. Von Eichborn stared, frowned. Phil neither stared nor frowned; he smiled. "What else am I to say?" he added. "I am not used to military customs." Von Eichborn strolled on into the hall. "Pleasant place. I think it will do--the best in this neighbourhood, anyway. But I'll go through it." Henriette rose from her chair as he entered the sitting-room and the aide of General von Stein who thought so well of himself, startled, put up his eye-glass, dropped it, and made a low bow. "The chateau belongs to Mademoiselle Ribot's mother," Phil explained. "Most charming place, most charming!" said von Eichborn, speaking French now, while he was looking into Henriette's eyes and smiling. "We think so," Henriette replied, and she smiled, partly in response to his admiration, perhaps, as well as for policy's sake. "Madame, your mother is not here?" "No. She succeeded in getting away on the last train to Paris." "Perhaps I shall see her there," von Eichborn remarked. "You are quite sure?" Henriette flashed. Her spirit seemed to please him; at least, he smiled again. A straight, fine figure of militarism he made, his head inclined toward her; but the thickish lips, the rather outstanding ears with heavy lobes, and the straight line from neck to crown marked him as a brute. "Then you are quite alone here?" he continued. "My sister and Cousin Phil are here." "Oh!" He glanced back at Phil casually. "I hope that we may be disturbed as little as possible," she ventured. "We are not such barbarians as you think," he said, with a laugh. "As a matter of fact, I do not see why you should be disturbed at all. There is another chateau on the list which belongs to the Count de la Grange, and as I have the say for my uncle, the General, I do not see why that will not serve as well." "Yes, the Count is away!" put in Henriette quickly. "Thank you very much!" This with a gracious smile as a livelier expression of her acknowledgment of his courtesy. "Done!" he answered promptly, smiling back at her. "I shall see that you are quite undisturbed, I promise you, unless some one has to billet here. We may be crowded and may be here some time if your scepticism about our taking of Paris is well-grounded." He made the bow of a Berlin salon, his heels clicking together, as he withdrew. Phil went into the grounds with him. "It's very good of you," he managed to say. "Don't mention it!" replied von Eichborn. "A very charming cousin. She speaks French like a Frenchwoman and looks like one. And you are an American?" "A distant cousin;" and Phil tried to explain a situation whose awkwardness von Eichborn only emphasised the more by one or two subtle remarks. Phil bit his lip and reminded himself that he was in the presence of Prussian force. "A peculiar position for an American," von Eichborn observed. "I hope your papers are all right." "Quite!"