The night of the bear-hunter's return there was to be a small dinner at
the Ardcheff house. The Princess had arranged that there should be a
party of six; so that while the four played bridge the fiancs might
talk to one another. She was growing almost nervous, and indeed it had
required all Stephen Strong's assurance that things eventually would
come right to prevent her from being actually unhappy.
"Let 'em alone!" the old man said. "Take no notice! you won't regret
it."
Tamara had only got up from her bed that afternoon and was very pale
and feeble. She wore a white clinging dress and seemed a mere slip of a
girl. The great string of beautiful pearls, Gritzko's latest gift,
which had arrived that morning, was round her neck, and her sweet eyes
glanced up sadly from the blue
