themselves of the ribbons from her hair, and were announcing that they would wear them next their hearts for ever after, and another had pulled the knitting from her apron-pocket and was drawing out the pins. The girl herself was clinging with both hands to her mask, in evident though unnecessary terror that it would be the next thing torn from her, and gazing round like a hunted hare for a way of escape. With an inarticulate exclamation, Usk pushed his way into the circle. Whoever the girl might be, her terror and distress were obvious, and he could not see her tormented by this rabble. To his utter astonishment, as soon as her eyes fell on him, she darted forward and seized his arm. “Oh, you have come at last!” she cried in English. “It has seemed so long!” “The fair Gretchen has found a cavalier!” laughed one of the tormentors. “May they be happy!” cried another, and in the shower of confetti which followed, Usk made his escape, the girl still clinging to his arm. She was shaking from head to foot, and he managed to drag her into a doorway, while he stood before her to protect her from the crowd. Presently a small meek voice said-- “Please forgive me. I ought not to have pretended I knew you, but I was so frightened.” The tears were raining down. “Oh, never mind,” said Usk cheerfully, wondering how this child had been allowed out by herself. “They wouldn’t have hurt you really, you know. Shall we wait here and watch for your people?” “I don’t know where they are, and papa will be so angry.” “Why? Did you come out without his knowing?” “Oh no. I was with him, and I wanted to hold his arm, and he wouldn’t let me. He said I made him look absurd,” a sob. “But I knew we could not keep together if I let go, and we were separated in a moment.” “All right. Don’t cry. I’ll take you home at once if you like. Your father will guess you’ve gone back. Where are you staying?” “At the Hôtel des Rois. But please don’t allow me to trouble you.” “It’s no trouble at all. I’m staying there too.” “Oh, are you? But I didn’t see you at breakfast. It was so nice seeing all the people, and trying to guess who they were.” “I am with my uncle and aunt, and they prefer to have their meals upstairs.” “So do papa and mamma. How droll! But it is my birthday to-day, and mamma allowed me to breakfast on the terrace, for a treat. You are English, aren’t you? When those horrid men all came round me, I thought, ‘Oh, if only I could see a German or an Englishman!’” “You ought to be careful,” said Usk sagely. They were walking through a quiet street by this time, on their way back to the hotel. “There are a good many shady characters about.” “Shady? I don’t know that word. But it means dark, dangerous--is it not so? But I could see you were not like that, of course.” “I’m glad I was labelled English and harmless to the foreign eye,” said Usk. “I shouldn’t have thought myself that this get-up would have inspired confidence.”