“I can readily believe it. You are always as cool as a morning in May. As for Fräulein Mather,” and he turned ceremoniously to Doris and bowed deeply, “it has all been a mistake. If the efforts of a councilor of the Empire in undoing the wrong done you, by sending you with every comfort and dispatch to England, are any sign of regret, you shall be safely on the way tomorrow. But I am sure that in your heart you are glad to have had the opportunity to clear Herr Hammersley of an unjust suspicion.” “Yes,” she murmured, turning away toward the window. “But you still wish that the part of Herr Hammersley which is English had been the greater part of him instead of the lesser, _nicht wahr_?” She bowed her head but did not reply. “Perhaps it would be better if I left you two alone together. There is doubtless much that you would say which would be only interesting to yourselves.” And then he went out, closing the door behind him. CHAPTER XVI THE GENERAL PLAYS TO WIN When General von Stromberg went out of the room Doris turned toward Cyril, her happiness in her eyes where he could read it if he wished. But instead of coming to her he made a warning gesture and then walked slowly around the room, peering out of the windows and listening at the doors until satisfied that they were unobserved. Then he beckoned her to a spot out of the line of vision of the door into the adjoining room. She obeyed it wonderingly while he caught her in his arms and kissed her passionately. “Thank God,” he whispered, “you understood.” “Oh, Cyril,” she gasped, “if anything had happened to you----” “We must be careful,” he went on, whispering hastily. “My success hangs by a hair. Tonight--the thing that I came for will be within my reach. I must have it.” “There will be danger?” “I hope not. But you must not trust his promises to send you away. You must get away from here tonight before eleven. I will help you. Before then I must see you alone. It is not safe to talk here.” He pressed her hand hurriedly and moved slowly across the room close to the wall and door, which he examined as he passed. “But, Cyril----” A warning finger stopped her. “There is no use in your trying to persuade me, old girl,” he said, his voice raised to a tone which seemed louder than necessary. “I am only doing my duty as I see it. But whatever happens I can at least remember that you told the truth.” What did he mean? She couldn’t understand. She followed him with her gaze. The fingers of one hand were tracing the flowers of the wallpaper upon one side of the room, and as she looked he glanced out of the window and then got quickly upon a chair and peered into an aperture in the cornice. “I am not sorry for Rizzio,” he said again, dusting off the chair and replacing it. “He only gets what he deserved. What did he do to you? How did he find you?” A glance at his face showed her that he expected her to reply.