The Russian was for ever hinting at something in connection either with Max or Miss de Gervais; to-day she had but gone a step further than usual.
"Well ?" queried Max, reading the doubt in Diana's eyes.
"I'm afraid I couldn't engage any one else to accompany me," she said at last.

"You see, Olga is Baroni's chosen accompanist, and--it might make trouble." A curious expression crossed his face.
"Yes," he agreed slowly.

"It might--make trouble, as you say.

Well, why not ask Joan to stay with you for a time--to counterbalance matters ?" "Excellent suggestion!" exclaimed Diana, her spirits going up with a bound.

Joan was always so satisfactory and cheerful and commonplace that she felt as though her mere presence in the house would serve to dispel the vague, indefinable atmosphere of suspicion that seemed closing round her.