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I watched Mademoiselle d'Essoldé's greeting to him. It was all even he could have wished. "I think it is about the supper hour," said Lady Vierle. "Let us go in." I offered her my arm and, masking again, we led the way. "Will Your Highness tell me something?" she asked immediately. "Did you know your antagonist?" "I didn't see his face," I evaded. She looked at me quickly.
Vierle came quickly to me. "It will make the Marquise and me most unhappy, if you do," he said. "And I shall tell you frankly what brought me here. The lady who styles herself your wife is among the guests she is in the next room, now, waiting to be admitted. My purpose was to have the Marquise request her to depart at once." I laughed, and put my hand on his shoulder.
It chanced, when my turn came, that the Marquis de Vierle, himself, was in the room; and, when he saw my face, his welcome was intensely ardent. He apologized effusively that I had been received at the regular entrance and, so, had been compelled to wait my turn for identification but, surely, my regrets had been noted.
In my haste I had not seen the small brass button which released the latch. "It's a pity Vierle didn't tell us what costume Mrs. Spencer is wearing," Moore remarked, as we reached the Garden. I stopped short. "What a blunderer I am. It would be better if you did the thinking for me." "Shall I go back and ask him?"
"And, my dear Lady Vierle," I said earnestly, "if you would do me a great favor, you will promise to forget all about this unfortunate incident." She, too, raised her mask and looked me frankly in the eyes. "I promise," she said. And I am sure she will keep her word. I knew I could leave it to Courtney and Moore to insure the silence of Lady Helen and Mademoiselle d'Essoldé.
"Who is on duty to-night?" I asked. "I am, sir." "Could you manage two costumes for the Vierle Masque?" "Quite readily, sir." "Very good," I said. "And let them be as near alike as possible," I added. By this time the Field was almost deserted, and, at Lady Helen's suggestion, Courtney and I turned our horses over to my orderly and drove back with her.
I am, sure it would interest Your Majesty much happened yesterday." And I told him of the Vierle Masque. Frederick frowned a bit thought longer then smiled. "I don't much fancy eaves-dropping; but, sometimes, the end justifies the means," he said. "I'll join you." "There will be other witnesses, Sire," I said and named them. "I don't like it," he said. "I can stop them," I suggested.
"So far as I am concerned," I said, "I pray you do nothing of the sort. The lady does not bother me in the slightest. Besides, she will not know I'm here and I shall not present myself to her, you may be sure." "Yet, we owe Your Highness an explanation of her presence," the Marquise exclaimed. "My dear Madame de Vierle, you owe me nothing of the sort," I said.
It was the Marquise de Vierle, wife of the French Ambassador. "How about her Masque to-night?" I asked; "will it be worth while?" "It's very evident you are new to Dornlitz," Courtney observed and Lady Helen laughed. "The Vierle Balls outrival even the Court functions," she explained. "Are you going?" I asked her. "I am, indeed." "And you, Courtney?" "I shall look in late." I motioned to Moore.
Courtney had a red rose fastened conspicuously on his breast, and Lady Helen wore a great bunch of them in her hair another was gowned like her and, so, must be the Marquise de Vierle herself the fourth was Mademoiselle d'Essoldé. "If you wish," said I, barring the path and sweeping the ground with my feather, "I'll hunt another rose.
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