her lowly origin, howshe had graduated through the circus and the music hall to thepossession of wealth, they would have turned their backs on her, as thepurse-proud parvenus had done in the democratic salons of the FrenchPresident.
These bitter reflections rather tended to harden than soften herresolution. To-night she was an avenging angel, bent upon the task ofmaking these insolent people atone for the insults heaped upon thelowly-born.
Once in her triumphant progress she came near to Contraras, who wasstanding alone, surveying the brilliant scene with his keen, deep-seteyes.
She disengaged herself from the arm of her companion, a handsome youngman of some standing in Spanish Society.
"Excuse me a moment. I see an old friend, to whom I must say a fewwords."
"What do you think of it all?" she whispered, as she held out her hand.
"What I have always thought of such spectacles as these," he whisperedback. "These besotted creatures feast and dance and make merry, withouta thought of their oppressed and toiling fellow-creatures." He spokeintensely, in the most bitter spirit of his gloomy fanaticism.
She could not linger, "My nerves are in perfect order," she assured himas she turned away. He smiled kindly at her as she passed on.
The amiable and innocent Duchess had performed the duties of chaperon sowell, had introduced her to so many people, that it was a long timebefore Valerie could shake herself free. It was a very crowdedassemblage. If she could once break away, she would be free to roamwhere she pleased.
The moment came at last, close upon midnight. She was alone andmistress of her own movements. Her thoughts were no longer distractedby the idle chatter of some companion forced upon her.
Slowly, she edged her way towards the Royal circle. Progress was alittle difficult, but at last she stood within a few feet of the Kingand Queen. She stood for a few moments, perhaps summoning up hercourage. Then her hand stole towards her pocket.
Before she could reach it, a little cordon was formed round her, acordon of six men in ordinary evening dress. The hand of one of the mengripped hers, and held it in a grasp of iron.
"Come quietly, mademoiselle," whispered a voice in her ear. "We havefollowed you round all the evening, we fancied there was somethingsuspicious about you. We may, of course, be mistaken, but in thesetroublous times we have to be very careful. We will take you to aprivate room, and have you searched. Of course, if nothing is foundupon you, you will go free, and we will make you handsome amends."
Valerie gave a little choking sob. The gipsy's prophesy had come true--several years of hard life, a few years of good fortune, and then greattribulation.
"I came here with the Duchess del Pineda," she said in a broken voice,hardly knowing what she was saying. "Do you dare to suspect--"
It was the Head of the Police who held her wrist in that iron grasp. Hespoke in a suave voice.
"Mademoiselle, we always suspect in our profession. For the Duchess delPineda I have the highest respect. Will you consent to come quietly?If we are in the wrong, you have nothing to fear."
She turned with them without a word. She had failed miserably. Theupholders of law and order had scored signally over the scattered andimperfect organisation of the brotherhood.
Between them, she walked through the long, brilliantly-lit rooms. TheChief of Police tucked her arm under his, keeping a tight hold on herwrist. The other five men accompanied them. There was nothing in thegeneral attitude to suggest that she was not a very charming woman beingescorted by a bevy of admirers.
Contraras was standing by the door as the procession passed out.Agitated as she was, she saw him, and flashed at him an agonised glance.
He flashed back at her a glance equally eloquent. He knew the Chief ofPolice by sight, and he understood what had happened. Poor littleValerie had failed! They would take her to some room, and search her.In her pocket they would find those cunning little bombs that, oncelaunched, would have sent tyrants and oppressors hurling into space, andproclaimed the dawn of the new era.
Poor little Valerie! His eyes grew misty. As she had failed, it wouldhave been better if he had left her alone. If ever he felt remorse inhis life, he felt it that night.
His first impulse was to leave the Palace at once. But wiser thoughtsprevailed. The Chief of Police had recognised him, he was sure. If heleft immediately, it might give cause for suspicion.
Valerie had failed. For the moment the Cause had suffered a set-back.But his resolution was still undaunted, his brain still active. Becausehe had failed to-day, it did not follow that he would not be successfulto-morrow.
He sought out the Duchess del Pineda, who was, as usual, surrounded by agroup of chattering friends.
"Good evening, Duchess. What has become of our young friend,Mademoiselle Delmonte?"
"I really cannot tell you. She broke away from me a long time ago. Shehas been a tremendous success, I can assure you. I hope she intends tomake a long stay in Madrid. She will be most popular."
"I really cannot tell you. I know nothing of her plans," answeredContraras in his grave, quiet tones. "As I told the Duke, I met her inFrance and England, where she appeared to move in the best circles."
"Naturally," said the innocent Duchess. Nobody would suspect the highlyrespected Contraras of telling a deliberate lie.
Outside the Palace, the crowd had thinned, but Moreno and VioletHargrave still waited. Midnight had struck and all was quiet. Therewere no signs that heralded the happening of a tragedy. A few belatedarrivals passed through to the Palace. The crowd began to melt away.
And then there was a little stir. A carriage drove up outside thePalace doors. Two men and a woman stepped into it, the woman was inevening dress.
The carriage passed the two watchers. Mrs Hargrave peered into theslowly-moving vehicle.
"Valerie Delmonte," she whispered excitedly. "There is a man sittingbeside her, one of those two men I noticed driving in--don't youremember I said they looked people of importance, and you said you didnot know them from Adam. What does it mean? Valerie alone with thosemen?"
"It looks as if the _coup_ had failed," replied Moreno quietly. "Ishould say that Valerie has been caught, and those two men are membersof the police."
Mrs Hargrave grew a little hysterical. "Thank God, it was not myself,"she added, after a pause. "I am glad it was not you."
Moreno was about to reply when another carriage drove through, theoccupant of which was Contraras. His tall form seemed huddled up; hewas evidently in a state of extreme dejection.
Moreno tucked Mrs Hargrave's arm under his own.
"Come along! Evidently the _coup_ has failed; the police have been onetoo many for us. Valerie Delmonte going away with those two men, poorold Contraras huddled up in that carriage, his attitude expressing thatall is lost, at any rate, for the moment! We have nothing to wait for.We shall hear all about it to-morrow."
They walked along arm in arm, both occupied with their own thoughts.Mrs Hargrave broke the long silence.
"He is a wonderful man. If he is dejected to-night, he will be full ofenergy and vigour to-morrow." Moreno agreed. "Yes, he will think ofmore _coups_. I suppose the next one will be the removal of MrRossett."
Violet made no answer immediately. Then, presently she said. "I fancyhe is considered a rather dangerous person from our point of view."Moreno shrugged his shoulders. "And yet I fancy his removal would notgreatly hasten the new era, do you? He is really a quite insignificantperson. If Valerie had brought it off to-night, well and good--but Imust confess these minor developments don't interest me greatly. Dothey interest you?"
"A little, I think," answered Mrs Hargrave, in a somewhat faint voice.
Moreno looked at her steadfastly. Her nerves were a bit out of orderto-night. That long vigil outside the Palace had told on them--thatwaiting for the crash of the bombs which Valerie Delmonte had carried inher pocket, the bombs which now had been appropriated by the Chief ofPolice.
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br /> He gave her arm a tender pressure. "I believe at bottom you are reallya womanly woman. The end justifies the means, of course, but some ofthe means are very bloodthirsty, don't you think?"
"I thought so to-night, when I was waiting to hear the crash of thosedevilish, cunning little bombs, the latest invention of science, as ourgood old Contraras assures us."
Moreno pulled himself up; perhaps he had been a little too frank. Buthe knew that the photographed letter always gave him the whip-hand ofViolet Hargrave.
"Still, we must not be squeamish. Revolutions are not made withrose-water, and you must break eggs to make omelettes."
"Absolutely true." Mrs Hargrave, looking provokingly pretty under herveil, sighed a soft assent to these platitudes. He fancied her arm gavea responsive pressure to his.
When he went to bed that night,