Page 108 (1/1)

Dominey's face ree of her eyes

"I told hian, and how it must last with me--to the end We spoke even of the duel I told him what both your seconds had explained to e, how he literally threw himself upon the point of your sword Wilhelives, and he has sent you this letter"

She drew a srey envelope from her pocket On the seal were the Imperial Hohenzollern arms She passed it to him

"Leopold," she whispered, "please read that"

He shook his head, although he accepted the letter with reluctant fingers

"Read the superscription," she directed

He obeyed her It was addressed in a strange, straggling handwriting to Sir Everard Doly and drew out the letter It was dated barely a fortnight back There was neither beginning or ending; just a couple of sentences scrawled across the thick notepaper: "It is e to the Princess Stephanie of Eiderstrom Your union shall be blessed by the Church and approved by my Court

"WILHELM"

Dominey sat as a man enthralled with silence She watched him

"Not on your knees yet?" she asked, with faint but somewhat resentful irony "Can it be, Leopold, that you have lost your love for ed so one?"

Even to himself his voice sounded harsh and unnatural, his words instinct with the graceless cruelty of a clown

"This is not practical," he declared "Think! I am as I have been addressed here, and as I lishman and the owner of this house--the husband of Lady Dominey"

"Where is your reputed wife?" Stephanie de home where she has been for the last few months," he replied "She has already practically recovered She cannot reer"

"You must insist upon it that she does"

"I ask you to consider the suspicions which would be excited by such a course," Dominey pleaded earnestly, "and further, can you explain toto belief of everybody, another wife living, can take advantage of this ly