She'd promised, that if not too tired she'd cross to Paris the day after the ball, taking the afternoon train, via Boulogne, as she wouldn't be equal to an early start.

Now, I thought, how splendid it would be if she should see Maxine at the hotel with Ivor! The Foreign Secretary was advising Ivor to wire the Elysee Palace for rooms without any delay, as there must be no hitch about his meeting Maxine, once it was arranged for her to go there.

"Any misunderstanding would be fatal," he went on, as solemnly as if the safety of Maxine's head depended upon Ivor's trip.

"I only wish I could have got you off to-night; and in that case you might have gone to her own house, early in the morning.

She is in a frightful state of mind, poor girl.