princess’ grounds. They went up to the house together, and were told that the princess had retired for the night with a severe headache. Sergei opened the door to them. He said the child had called for the candy, which he had given her at the princess’ orders. He knew nothing more about the matter, but said he thought he had heard someone scream, out on the boulevard.’’
Portia’s eyes sought mine, full of a terrible significance.
"You really believe, then,’’ I stam- imered, ‘‘that she—?”’
"I believe, Aunt Sophie, that the princess couldn’t appear because she was unable to show herself in her metamorphosed form,’’ she replied grimly.
“What are you going to do, my dear ?’’
"T must go to see poor Aurora first. Then I must also call at the house of the Princess Tchernova,”’ de- cidedly.
"Portia! Take care, my dear girl!’ I was terrified, as I might well be. To walk into that den of devils, where she could only expect the worst at their hands...
“I shall take Boris on the leash,’’ she went on calmly. ‘‘Don’t be afraid that anything will happen to me, Auntie dear. Nothing could possibly happen tonight, because of what has inst happened to Minna. The most savage wild beast will not attack when it has eaten its fill,’’
She shuddered, and for a moment covered her eyes with one hand.
"T’m hoping that I may be in time —to save that poor little creature— but I’m afraid it will be too late.’’ I wanted to go with her, but she re- fused decidedly to let me venture out. She declared so positively that she would be safe that I was obliged to take her word for it.
“Don’t yeu see, Auntie, that she wouldn’t dare do more tonight, with- out throwing suspicion upon herself? As it is, they’ve tried to make it ap- pear that Minna was abducted on her way home. Automobiles are passing every minute on the boulevard. And the broken box of chocolates in the middle of the road! O’Toole thought at once of an abduction.’’
Portia was ready for the street na very short time. I called up Owen in the meantime, and he was waiting outside in his car by the time she was ready. She had changed her mind about taking Boris; she did not need the dog if she had Owen with her, she said. She left the house about mid- night. It was half past 1 when she returned.
I was waiting for her in the library, devouring page after page from the strange books she had taken out for me to study.
Owen would not come in, because it was so late.
[TO BE CONCLUDED]
