"It is wrong, Count, absolutely wrong, and you should never have consented. She will ruin everything. I propose that we just ignore the Princess's wish and keep that fiend close all the same."
"I have passed my word, Zoiloff."
"I am very sorry to hear it, but I haven't; and there's nothing to prevent your setting her free and my taking her again. Everything is ready, as you know, and the thing would be easy enough."
"No, I can be no party to it," I answered firmly, although the notion pleased and tempted me.
"Then you may as well throw up the sponge." He spoke angrily.
"It may still be possible to blind the General's eyes."
"You are more sanguine than you look or your tone implies if you think so. I don't believe it for a moment. There's always something goes wrong where a woman is concerned."
"I will send this one packing, and then we can consult."
"There's not much left worth consulting about," he answered as I left him.
The Countess greeted me with a sharp, shrewd look, and then her face showed a keen disappointment.
"I have failed, I see. You needn't tell me," she said.
"You are not yet a murderess—at least of the Princess," I returned, harshly, for I hated the woman.
"You have taken a long time over your rescue and love business; but I suppose you had much to talk about. It's the way of lovers!" she cried with a laugh. "Besides you had to settle what to do with inconvenient me. I am afraid I am very much in your
