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"Well, if you really wish the police communicated with," said the Comte de Virieu, "I will go to the police-station here, with pleasure." "Why should we not go together?" asked Sylvia, hesitatingly. "By all means. But think over what we are to say when we get there. If your friend had not left the letter behind her, then, of course it would be our positive duty to communicate with the police.
"We French take our pleasures lightly, Madame, and no doubt there is many an excellent Parisian bourgeois who comes here and makes or loses his few francs, and gets no harm from it. But, still, I swore to myself that I would warn you of the danger " They went out into the bright sunshine again, and Sylvia somehow felt as if she had made a friend a real friend in the Comte de Virieu.
But with the Comte de Virieu she never quite knew what to be at, and mystery is the food of romance.
When they were not at the Casino the Comte de Virieu very seldom alluded to his play, or to the good or ill fortune which might have befallen him that day. When with her he tried, so much was clear to Sylvia, to forget his passion for gambling.
"We might begin lunch a little earlier than twelve o'clock," said Sylvia, getting up. "They serve lunch from half-past eleven, do they not?" she turned to the Comte de Virieu. "Yes, Madame, that is so," he said; and then he added, bowing, "And now perhaps I should say good-bye. I am going into Paris, as you know, early this afternoon, and then to Brittany. I shall be away two nights."
"My God!" muttered Paul de Virieu. "Do you not understand, Chester, what happened to-night? They meant to kill her!" "To kill her?" repeated Chester incredulously. Then there came over him a rush and glow of angry excitement. Good God! If that was the case they ought to have driven back at once to the Lacville police-station! "Sylvia!" he exclaimed. "Rouse yourself, and tell us what took place!
They had been kind, tender words, and though Anna did not approve of Sylvia's friendship for Paul de Virieu, she had spoken in a very understanding, sympathetic way, almost as a loving mother might have spoken. It was odd of Anna not to have left word she was going to Paris for the day. In any case, the Wachners would know when Anna would be back.
"If you are really going to Switzerland," he said quietly, "then why should we not travel together? I meant to go to-night, but if you prefer to wait till to-morrow, Count, I can alter my arrangements." The Comte de Virieu remained silent for what seemed to the two waiting for his answer a very long time. "This evening will suit me just as well as to-morrow," he said at last.
Madame Malfait still thinks that poor Anna went to the Casino in the afternoon, and after having lost her money came back to the pension, wrote the letter, and then went out and left for Paris without saying anything about it to anyone!" "I suppose something of that sort did happen," observed the Comte de Virieu thoughtfully.
"I think I ought to introduce myself to you, Madame," he said solemnly. "My name is Paul de Virieu." "And mine is Sylvia Bailey," she said, a little breathlessly.
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