For Her Life: a story of St. Petersburg

Front matter

FOR HER LIFE A Story of St. Petersburg BY RICHARD HENRY SAVAGE AUTHOR OF »X "MV OFFICIAL WIFE," "CHECKED THROUGH," "THE MASKED VENUS," ETC. COPYRIGHT LONDON GEORGE ROUTLEDGE AND SONS, Limited BROADWAY, LUDGATE HILL {AU Rights Reserved.) By RICHARD HENRY SAYAGE. Uniform with this Volume. MY OFFICIAL WIFE. THE LITTLE LADY OF LACIUN1TAS. A Franco- Californian Romance. PRINCE SCHAMYL'S WOOING. A Story of the Caucasus— Russo- Turkish War. THE MASKED VENUS. A Story of Many Lands. DELILAH OF HARLEM. A Story of the New Yorlc City of To-Day. FOR LIFE AND LOVE. A Story of the Rio Grande. THE ANARCHIST. A Story of To-Day. THE PRINCESS OF ALASKA. A Tale of Two Countries. THE FLYING HALCYON. THE PASSING SHOW. A DAUGHTER OF JUDAS. IN THE OLD CHATEAU. A Story of Russian Poland. MISS DEVEREUX OF THE MARIQU1TA.

HIS CUBAN SWEETHEART. By Col. R. H. Savage and Mrs. A. C. Gunter. CHECKED THROUOH. LOST COUNTESS FALKA. AN EXILE FROM LONDON. HER FOREIGN CONQUEST. A MODERN CORSAIR. CONTENTS.

Book I. In The Toils

Chapter. I — Dimitri Trepoff's Trust of Honor, ...... 5 II — Her Dangerous Friends, 27 III — In the Rapids — A Woman Scorned 53 IV— The Way Out ! Foul Play, 80 V — Warned and Watched 104

Book II. In The Bear's Den

VI — Digging the Mine. A Tartar's Tricks 133 VII — At the Opera — Recognition! Serge Zastrow to the Rescue, 161 VIII— The Sword Falls! The Falcon Caged 102 IX — My Trial. Dimitri's Guest. Seeking a Locksmith, 234 X — Hermione's Judgment! On the Bridge! A Dead Witch. Found at Last 270

Book III. Led By Love

XI — At Tsarskoe Zeloe. General Haxo Trapped. Vera's Victory! A Life for a Life, 319 XII — The Star of Poland. Wedding- Bells. Off to Siberia. Nemesis, 357 XIII — The Convict Settlement at Saghalien. Hermione's Ruse. On the Blue Pacific. Trepoff's Reward, LONDON Printed by Boot, Son and Carpenter 24, Old Bailey, E.C.

Chapter I. Dimitri Trepoff's Trust Of Honor

There is nothing more suggestive of impending trouble in St. Petersburg, particularly in a very cozy bachelor apartment, than to have the lights suddenly extinguished in a melodramatic manner, by a frantically excited com panion. And, to be also dragged into an inner room — the doors all quickly double-locked by the same individual — does not tend to compose the nerves of a Phila delphia lawyer upon his travels! Yet, this is what hap pened to me, Walter Grahame, Counselor-at-Law, in the eventful year eighteen hundred and eighty-three! I knew well that it was none other than my chum, Major Dimitri Trepoff, of the Paul Regiment, but his singular actions greatly alarmed me. Essentially a man of peace, I had been so far, very conservative in my be havior upon a visit to Russia, which joined professional business with family affairs.

"What is the matter, Dimi tri?" I whispered, as I regained my composure. I could not even see his cigarette in the darkness — a sign of the most extraordinary pressure upon his mind. "Grahame! unless you help me now, I am a ruined man! I am in danger! Get your coat on, and then we will slip out by the servants' door into the street! I may be followed, even now! Come at once!" I "Where are you going to take me?" I asked, with a certain internal shudder. He briskly said: "Just come along, I only wish I were as safe as you are!" And he failed in an attempt at a laugh — signally failed. "It is already half past nine," I grumbled, "and I would sooner be on the gentle Schuylkill than rambling over your desert of a capital, with its squares, half a mile long! I warrant it is only another of your high-pressure so ciety adventures!

Some tangled intrigue of a pretty woman, whose face you'll forget in a fortnight!" "My God! Grahame! Don't jest! My very life is in danger, and my worst enemy is now on my trail !" His voice rang out in the agony of a man to whom I owed every family obligation. "All right, then, I'm with you !" I muttered, and in five minutes we were striding along in the shadows of the huge piles of granite buildings. We had turned several corr.trs before Dimitri hailed a passing droschky. "To the Winter Garden!" he cried, sharply, and then added some directions in a voice which caused the driver to dash madly away. Striking a fusee, he quickly examined his watch. "Ah! yes! I have yet time enough!" he said, and wrapped his military cloak closely around him, for the first feathery flakes of the autumn snow were softly sifting down on the great city of Peter.

"What is the matter?" I said, in English, as I grasped his arm. Major Trepoff pointed to the bewhiskered driver, and replied in the same tongue, "Wait till we are safe up there!" placing his finger on his lips. I observed him nervously twisting around, his furtive glances to see if we were being followed; and I was very glad to be soon safely under the well-lighted roofs of the Winter Garden, with its music, dames and motley crowds of pleasure seekers. "Thank heavens!" I cried. "Any one can come here, without the slightest fear of being compromised — polit ically" It was true. The only dangers in this Russian Mabille were the bright-eyed condottieri of a dozen lands! In the gay groups of reckless dancers — among the lounging promenaders — a dozen lands were represented by rosy free lances.

There were black gypsy eyes, velvet as the sloe ; pale, defiant-looking Austrians, eager, hawk like Parisians — and all the flotsam and jetsam of the whole continent washed ashore at this Ultima Thule. "I will bet a new hat!" I murmured, "that this romantic guardsman has for the fiftieth time in his gay and festive career drifted into a woman scrape!" But there was little time for reflection, as the tall grenadier dragged me along through the crowd, and entered a neat little eating booth. He had gazed for reference at a card he held in his hand. "Yes! yes! this is the place!" he sighed, and I then saw on an affiche, the modest appellation "Du rand — Restaurateur." "Here we are safe!" Dimitri Trepoff sighed, as he tossed aside his cap, cloak and sword. "I shall order a fowl and a bottle of wine," he whispered, "for appear ances."

I was struck with the change which had sud denly come over my debonnaire friend. In the five months of my extended intimacy, never before had his handsome, blonde face looked haggard, his eyes desperate. Standing there before me, six feet of splendid, stalwart manhood, his breast gleaming with orders, rich, noble, in the perfection of early manhood, at thirty-three, the handsome major of the Paul Regiment was a star of the jeunesse doree of his time. But the blue eyes were very haggard and haunted looking— his lips twitched nervously under the sweeping, golden mus tache, and his hands were clenched, so that the half dozen turquoise rings left deep red prints in his slim, white fingers. In fact, Major Trepoff was in a burning Ta^- . _ < "By heavens, I could throttle him!" he growled, as he threw himself into a chair.

There was a very ugly ring in his voice. "A duel !" "Who?" I cried, in some alarm. "Now, what is it? Have you had a row with your chief, or is it a quarrel over one of those witching maids of honor at the Winter Palace?" "It's a long story, this enmity, Grahame!" said Trepoff, bringing out his treasured regimental cigarette case. "Ever since I was detached and made aide-de-camp to the Grand Duke, General Haxo has secretly followed one with his deadly resentment! "At Shipka Pass, my battalion took and held a hill, which had been lost by his brigade. My poor men earned me my decorations, and also this post as aide to the Grand Duke Michael. General Haxo, as commander of the Military Police in Petersburg, can not often annoy me, for the Grand Duke's name passes me through all his vulgar formalities.

And — you know the little affair of 'La Graziella,'"— I smiled— "That did not smooth his ruffled feathers! Now, Grahame, I want your advice — your help — your calm counsel — for Ivan Haxo has now the one chance of his life to effect my ruin! He will fol low me like a sleuth hound ! Of course, a duel with him is out of the question. My duties take me out of his sphere. While he has the ear of the Emperor — and waits on him daily — I have the protection of the Grand Duke. So, all these two seasons he has vainly dogged my path. There is but one way in which he can pay off the old scores — and that is to effect my final disgrace. And, now, devil take it!" cried the splendid young patrician, "I have been imprudent — damnably imprudent!" Trepoff strode up and down the room, as the nimble garcon deftly spread the table.

"Send me the proprietor," he sharply said. A little rotund waif of Gaul entered, with profound salaams; and lingering in a corner I could overhear their whispered colloquy in French. Fixing my professional eye upon the landlord, I no ticed the pallor which overspread his face as he scuttled away. "Getting in deeper every moment," muttered Trepoff, as he locked the door, and drew his chair up near to mine. He laid his ready revolver on the table beside him, and then earnestly said: "Break a bit of bread, and taste the wine. We must do so to save appearances. It is only to cheat the waiter! Oh, it's all right," he gloomily said, glancing at the door. "They will come for me, when she is here!" "See here, Dimitri!" I gravely remarked, "never forget that you are the head of your house. Think of our family connection; of your brilliant future career; of all you have to lose!"

I was beginning to be afraid of his behavior, and the strange precautions which savored of dark lantern work. "You must remember the state of public feeling here, and all the dangers of the time! What are you drifting into?" "I'm not drifting into anything! I have just tied a noose around my neck for that cruel devil to tighten — if he can only get hold of the loose end! I am 'in medias res' now. I would not ask you, a stranger here, Gra hame, to stand by me, but this thing is desperate, and Serge Zastrow is down at Cronstadt on his iron-clad! He couldn't get leave and be here in less than three or four days. And by that time the woman and I may both be — over there," he gloomily concluded, bending his thumb toward the gloomy fortress on the island. My teeth chattered. "I knew there was a woman in the case," I said, with a triumphant air.

"Certainly there is. The very handsomest woman I ever saw in my life, too !" he continued, with enthusiasm. "And she is now in full possession of my apartment, and I have got to get her quietly out of there to-night. It may cost me my life if I do not. The police, I fear, are watching my rooms even now!" I sprang to my feet. In his very rooms. "This is astounding," I faltered. "What did you take her there for, Dimitri?" I demanded. "I could not help it. It was to baffle Haxo and his bloodhounds. I am so well known in Petersburg I would have been lost if I had taken her to any public place!" he gravely said. "And I had no other ready refuge to offer her then," he gravely concluded. "Who is she?" I asked, with a growing alarm which I could not conceal. "I do not know! I haven't an idea! All I know," he cried, tossing away his cigarette, and striding up and down in a storm of emotion, "all I do know is that she is a friendless woman — and to me her life is now a trust of honor" "You were very unwise to rush into such a strange guardianship," I hazarded, with a growing uneasiness for Dimitri's safety.

Highly as he was placed, so he had only the more to risk — and his fall would be the more terrible! It would spread a cloud of doubt and distrust over our whole connection. For, alas, his great patron, the Grand Duke, was known to be merciless, as regarded any taint of disloyalty. The shadows of the assassina tion of the Emperor Alexander II. still hung as a gloomy pall over the Neva. "Grahame! It is Fate, — Fate!" solemnly said Dimitri, his handsome face lit up with a mournful smile. "Do not forget that trifles rule us. Our future is determined by events of a puerile character. A rotten stirrup strap caused perhaps a change in the fate of France, when the Prince Imperial died under the Zulu spears in the cornfield. Napoleon's pork pie at the battle of Leipzig paralyzed the mind against which the whole world fought, in that Battle of the Nations.

The chance glimpse of a pretty face placed Mademoiselle Eugenie Montijo on the greatest throne of the world for seventeen years. The falling down of the golden locks of the Scottish-Spanish lass, the imperial lover's glimpse of that wonder dream, in a lonely dressing-room, lost France, Alsace and Lor raine, and made the German Kaiser the modern Lord of the Sword. No, Grahame! We drift! Catching at straws, and — God knows whither this adventure will lead me. Perhaps to Siberia — or — the scaffold!" "Great God, Dimitri! You have not compromised yourself with her? She is not a vile adventuress!" My blood ran cold. I quickly reflected upon the dangers to Dimitri of such an entanglement. Headlong youth! "Oh! I am not guilty!" he bitterly said. "And, more over, this woman does not wish to lead me away.

She would even now, at the risk of her own life, brave all to leave me free." His breast was shaken with love's agonies. He clutched my arm. "I must get her at once out of my rooms — get her away; get her out of Russia! Fate has strangely linked her safety to my own — and — I could never explain. I could not justify myself. There is no time for such mere formalities here. The Grand Duke Constantine is the head of the Extraordinary Bureau now. I could tell you things which would freeze your blood. I dare not tell all I see, — all I know. I will not drag Serge Zastrow, either, into this! Cron stadt is now doubly watched. Think of the forty young naval officers arrested there, — some of them have suddenly disappeared." His voice sounded gloomy and hollow, as he pointed across the Neva. "There is one building here, where scores go in, who only come out — at night — between four boards.

Think of Lestaroff, hung simply because a visiting middy, a hare-brained young cousin, had left a portfolio in his rooms! Ah! no! It is for her life that I must fight; and, — for my honor!" The cold sweat stood out on his brow. I was astounded. Philadelphia rose up before me. Its sedate citizens slowly meandering along its slumberous thor oughfares. My peaceful haunts; my embattled law books; my cozy club; my friendly social circle. In the face of Trepoff's grimly-evoked specters I sighed, "Would I were with thee !" "Positive I am !" I grumbled. "If this dare-devil Ro meo gets out of this scrape, I will emulate the great Pennsylvanian McClellan — T will change my base!' — and, stand not in the order of my going!" I was badly rattled. "You see, Grahame, you are the only man near me who can help me.

An American, — a man of grave pur suits; a bachelor; a man who has nothing to explain, nothing to fear!" His compliment to my fearlessness provoked such a sickly smile that even Trepoff laughed heartily, for my fame had not been gained — "in the im minent deadly breach," but in punishing others for breaches of contract, and sundry other laches. In fact, I had spent five months in the delightfully easy and pleasant official society of St. Petersburg, closing up the settlements of the building of the four Russian cruisers for use in Siberia, on the Atlantic coast. "Don't forget, Trepoff, I will stand by you, — like a brick!" I remarked. "But, don't forget also that I did not come over here to uproot your institutions; to butcher any of the royal household. Neither, am I fond of chains." I blushed as I fondled the only chain I wear— presented to me by a staid maiden of the city of Penn, who fondly hoped to cast a gentle glow over the afternoon, evening and twilight of my serene and tranquil life.

"Now, you know that I am not, and will not be, classed among the fire-eaters! 'Palmam qui meruit ferat!' _ With me the pen is mightier than all your swords. I wish to shed nothing but ink, in this weary world. What can I do for you!" The imperilling of my life for an unknown beauty seemed to have no "quid pro quo." Trepoff stopped, fixed his eyes upon me, and calmly said : "You can take her away from my rooms to-night ; and then, help me to hide her, or shield her, till I can get her over the frontier! For, I am not safe now, unless she gets away." It was a sweetly promising situation for an engaged man ! "And if you should be caught!" I said, gravely, for his face was very stern and sorrowful. I pitied the mournful lover. "Then I would have saved my honor, even if my life paid the forfeit!" he said, springing up, as a knock at the door recalled us.

"Stay here!" he cried, ignoring my muttered impious remark. "Damned fantastic no tion! Honor before Life! sounds very like the 'Three Guardsmen!'" But he continued: "I will see this wo man here! It's nearly half-past ten! And then, I can explain, after we meet at my rooms. I have a plan to arrange for her safety — for to-night!" He darted out and left me alone. I mechanically drained half a flask of Burgundy as I wrathfully surveyed the growing en tanglement. I lit a cigar and reflected upon the way wardness of Fate's frolics with mankind — the mere pawns of destiny. Trepoff's oldest brother, a retired Commander of the Navy, had spent some time in Amer ica, overseeing the construction of the four cruisers, at the Capes of the Delaware. He had improved that leis ure by making me a sort of an American-Russian in feel ing, when he married my sister Justine, and took her away from the polished door-knobs, green blinds, and glistening marble steps of Philadelphia, to preside over his beautiful estate of Mon Plaisir, near Kief.

And so this gallant freed officer of the Paul Regiment, had been a brother in heart to me during my siege of the Departments in successfully closing up the affairs of my American clients. I had looked forward to a charming winter in Paris, Rome, and Vienna, with my ward and pet sister Madeleine, who only awaited the spring's flowers to make a visit with me to Justine's beautiful retreat at Kief. I was in no mood for wild adventures. Justine was already in Paris, and our winter tour of travel was laid out. My demure Quaker maiden claimed me for a coming wedding. My business had admirably progressed, thanks to Dimitri Trepoff's ready aid, and the pleasant smoothing over of all the asperities due to his charming English and untiring friendly efforts. I hoped to see South Russia myself, for Justine had written me, "Our land will wear its mantle of snows; our forests are now bare; our trees leafless; our birds and roses fled with the blossoms of last year.

But wait, wait, for the magic voice of spring! The breath of the rose makes the incensed air a delight; the birds sing never so sweetly, and all our plains and glades are starred with the blue forget-me-nots! You will have all this, and a Russian welcome!" As I preferred a few months with pretty Madeleine and the demure Justine, in the flowery paradise of Mon Plaisir, to arguing dry demurrers, in the very teeth of astute legal enemies. And so, I did not fancy Dimitri Trepoff's "deed without a name!" It looked wildly quixotic. "Decidedly! I was not cut out for a conspirator!" I growled, as I saw the bottom of the bottle, and then followed Trepoff out of the room, without a word, when his eager face graced the doorway. I turned up my collar and pulled my hat over my brows. My lugubrious air was so comical that Trepoff laughed, "Come along, Grahame.

You look like a chiffonier in love! It isn't as bad as all that!" And the light-hearted guardsman pulled me along through a crowd of smiling Aspasias, Phrynes, and Venus types of continental diversity, whose saucy eyes boldly challenged us to abide with them. It was evident that many of them knew Dimitri Trepoff, for wine, roses, and laughing love waited on that devilmay-care young patrician's path. Our closed carriage was a far different affair to the open droschky we had at first used. I soon saw by the narrowed streets, the dark ness, and felt by the roughness of the stones, that we were in by lanes of the huge octopus of the Neva. I had in my mind the Schuylkill and the Delaware, peacefully gliding, and I hugely preferred their gentle flow to "Abana and Pharphar — rivers of Damascus;" all the "sweet waters of the Golden Horn," or the dark flowing Neva, across which I could see the twinkling lights of the great fortress, yvith the tall church spires piercing the blue star-lit air.

I glared at my dear comrade Trepoff, his eyes eagerly strained out in the darkness. I thought of a great Czar's son strangled there by the common executioner, while the mad genius Peter justified his deed over his cups. I shuddered, for the lonely woman now hidden in Trepoff's rooms, for the brave soldier whose headlong gallantry had won my heart, as well as gained an empire over the palpitating bosoms of countless of the gay dames of Russia; and I mournfully thought also of my own plight. It has been my rueful experience to be always considered as a reliable "stand-by," and to go through much toil and tribulation, in the varied affairs of other fellows, who have reaped all the plenteous harvest of gratitude, — laurels, roses, witching smiles, and myrtle, — while I have been left with — much experience of a varied order.

"Trepoff!" I remarked; and I here tried to be impressive: "I don't exactly fancy this." "Hush!" he sharply said. "Keep quiet! Here she is!" And, as we paused a moment, in the angle of a dark cor ner, a woman glided into our carriage. A bulky bundle was in her hand! There was nothing in her manner to indicate aught above the working woman; her dress was that of the woman in the tiers etat, but the glibness of her conversation, in half French, half Russian, with my com panion! "Another mysterious woman!" I grumbled, as I resigned myself to an apparent doze in a corner of the vehicle. "I will ignore the whole affair!" I resolutely decided. "My connection with it, I will make of the very briefest character." A prediction of my foolish self confidence, which was destined to be very ruthlessly demolished by untoward facts sweeping down on me, from the dark unknown, and towering over me, in the gloom of that night, like an iceberg over a doomed bark.

I felt from my brief survey, that the rich-voiced woman, now earnestly engaged in converse with Trepoff, was in the bloom of life and courage ; and her alert manner indicated her to be a French woman. "I hope she will take the other one away — for good!" was my pious ejaculation. "It is not befitting a member of the Philadelphia Bar to be flying around at night, with gay guardsmen, mysterious dames, and on the ragged edge of dangerous conspiracy. I — " Here I was stopped by a jolt of the carriage, as we drew up at Trepoff's splendid private quarters. "Quick ! quick!" he flashed out. "Not a moment's delay!" The woman at my side sprang past us, and as the dvornik opened the doors of Trepoff's private stairway, in the great granite apartment house, she flitted up thc stair, hooded and veiled.

The grin of the house official was visibly broadened, as he stood there in a flood of yellow light, gazing sheepishly at me. There was evidently no Don Juan adventure in my own case ; but I was tired and wearied. It was now past eleven. Still, I was not allowed to collect the legal mind. Trepoff drew me at once into his little smoking room. "Now, Walter," he said, and his face gleamed ghastly pale; "I have to risk my very life on your discretion — your honor! In two minutes a woman will be in the parlor, dressed in the clothes of the person whom we brought here! Will you go with her where she wishes to go, simply conducting her, in safety? You need not speak to her. I did not wish you to complicate yourself too far. In case of any questioning, I can tell you that she speaks English." I was paralyzed.

"And if we should be stopped or questioned?" I faltered. "Then," he said, solemnly, "let her decide on her own course! You are well known here to be a respectable foreigner, under the shadow of your legation. All that you have to do, is to remain silent. You could not get in any serious trouble to-night. She might be sac rificed! God help her!" he groaned. "But you are safe! Don't wait a moment when she comes! Be sure to take another carriage ! Pay this new man off, and then with another come back here! I will wait. I have already telegraphed to Serge Zastrow to come up at once." What could I do in these premises? I mumbled some thing; and yet my words were unavailing. I had lost my court flippancy, for I could professionally gaze in the eye of the sternest American judge, without flinch ing.

I knew, "off the bench," that these wearers of the ermine gambolled and disported themselves much, — very much; too much, in fact, — like other mortals. But I had never looked into the fishy blue eyes of a cold-hearted Russian judge, and, moreover, I did not care to. "Will you have a revolver?" said Trepoff, picking up one from his table of arms and various bachelor litter. "What for?" I blankly said. He smiled sadly, for he was well aware that I would not discharge it. Even upon bail! I sighed for just one half-hour of a Republican (or Dem ocratic!) form of government. I would have used it to carefully secrete myself where neither Trepoff, his mys terious "charge of honor," nor the extra "woman in black," could find me, "with a forty-foot pole" — as we neatly remark in the Land of Penn. But I sprang up as the door slowly opened, and Major Dimitri Trepoff sprang tenderly to the side of a woman, whose face was now hidden in the double folds of a dark veil.

Accus tomed, I flatter myself, to quickly "take in surroundings," I observed that the new-comer lent a statuesque beauty to the dark-hued borrowed robes; that Major Trepoff had passionately kissed her two hands, which I could see were slender and daintily gloved, and that her step was as light as a snowflake when she followed me down the stairs. A last few words in Russian, ex changed with Trepoff, seemed to breathe the fond sigh of a parting soul. "This thing has made a considerable progress," I stubbornly murmured; as, raising my eyes, I saw Trepoff's face between the parted curtains. His own man had opened the doors for us! I gazed around, with a frightened glance, as I stepped up to the carriage door, and vainly tried to see the proverbial lurking "minions of tyranny" darting around in the weird performances which such people affect upon the stage.

I did not see any one gyrating about in that mysterious manner which forces all within a practicable radius, to ob serve the "sbirri." "Alas! In the snug land of Peter, the "myrmidons" can scoop one up, gently, at will, at any time. If I flattered myself that I was unobserved, it was not the first time in my life that my vain imaginings have betrayed me. And so, I presume it will ever be, while I practice my delightful profession "upon this wrinkled sphere." I. was both delighted and amazed, as we rolled out upon the brilliantly-lit Nevsky Perspectiv. We were safe — so far! Four Cossacks, mounted, on guard at the street corners, sitting motionless on their statuesque ponies, seemed to be selecting victims from the stream of passers-by. For, with a repeating carbine, a sword, a revolving pistol, a long dagger, and a twelve-foot lance, these forbidding-looking fellows seemed fitted up for "carnage in any form."

I distrusted their too businesslike air of readiness, and I particularly disliked the steelblue gleam of their lance-heads in the crystalline night. "As far as I go, they might as well leave those things at home. They add nothing to the appearance of ray friends from the Don and the Volga," — so I mused. I was growing cheerful as we drove smartly down into the heart of the city. I even began to dismiss my fears, for I am of a cheerful temperament. "This masquerading lady will pass out of my life, — forever, — to-night!" I thought. "She has neatly disguised herself; she will give these people the slip; and she will only remain a graceful, nameless shade!" The very reputation of Dimitri Trepoff guaranteed that. There was something in her dainty presence — in the thrill of her near proximity ; in the splendid ripples of her dark brown hair and the flash of her eyes — that told me she was both young and handsome!