The thought that she had lost Verisschenzko completely unbalanced her. It was the first time in her life that she had had to relinquish a man. She hated to have to realise how highly he must hold Amaryllis. He seemed the only thing she wanted now in life, and she knew that he was quite beyond her, and that indeed he had never been hers; the one human being whom she had attracted and yet never been able to intoxicate and draw against his will. She went over all their past meetings. With what supreme insolence he had invariably treated her--even in moments when he permitted himself to feel passion! And how she adored him! She would have crawled to him now on the ground. She had not known she could feel so much. Every animal, sensual desire made her throb with rage. She would have torn the flesh from Amaryllis' face had she been there, and thrust her hatpin into her real eyes. But the spoke should be put in the wheel of Verisschenzko's marrying her! And perhaps some other revenge would come. Hans?--Hans should be made to carry the scheme through--Hans and Ferdinand. She dug her nails into the palms of her hands. No wild animal in its cage could have felt more rage. Then when Ferdinand returned with John's letter, she controlled herself and sat down at the table beside him and supervised his attempts at copying the writing, while she unfolded the details of her scheme. "You know John's body was never found," she informed him presently. "I heard all the details from a man who was there--they only picked up his glasses and his boot. He could very well have been taken prisoner by the Germans and be in hospital there, too ill to have written for all this time. Now think how he ought to word his first letter to his precious bread and butter wife!" "There must only be the fewest words, because I don't know what terms they were on. I think a postcard, if we get one, would be the best thing." "Of course?--I have some one who can see to that--it will be worth waiting the week for--we'll procure several, and meanwhile you must practise his hand." At the end of half an hour a very creditable forgery had been secured, and the two jealous beings felt satisfied with their work for the time. CHAPTER XX