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184 BY ORDER OF Tff CZAR.

11 Well, there was not much to tell. I saw a remarkable face at the opera ; it gave me an idea for the picture. Chetwynd found the original. She was at his wife's At Home. She consented to give me a sitting."

" Yes ? " said Mrs. Milbanke, " and so you could not come and see Dolly ; nor send a telegram nor a letter, nor a bouquet, nor anything ; and have we the pleasure of knowing the lady ? "

" I think not. She is a Russian countess Lady Stravensky."

" The woman we met at Lady Marchmount's that was the name ; I mentioned her to you the day we met at the studio ; the foreign woman who smoked cigarettes, an ad- venturess I should imagine."

" I don't think so," said Philip, " but whatever she is, her face is a wonderful study."

" No doubt," said Mrs. Milbanke.

" She is received at the Russian Embassy."

"And at Mr. Philip Forsyth's studio," retorted Mr?. Milbanke.

" And why not ? " asked Philip, " surely you do not think "

" Don't ask me what I think or I may tell you and we might both be sorry afterwards ; I love my sister Dolly, and know how good and sweet and forgiving and gentle she is ; and it grieves me to see her miserable ; it is some- thing new, terribly new, to see her cry ; this is one of the happiest households in the world, Mr. Forsyth : but yester- day and to-day we have been all of us positively wretched."

Here Mrs. Milbanke began " to give way " as she after- wards told Walter, for Philip did look so mournfully apologetic that she could not find it in her heart to continue the attack.

" And all this on my account," he said, and it must be admitted he was truly sorry. " Believe me I am deeply grieved ; I hope you will not think I am trying to make