"I'm a scandal; I know it," he admitted, as the car swung into the rue
Soleil d'Or.
The Princess turned to the drooping girl beside her and laid a gloved
hand lightly on her shoulder.
"My dear," she said gently, "there is only one chance for you, and if
we let it pass it will not come again--under military law."
Ilse lifted her head, held it high, even tilted back a little.
The Princess said: "Twenty-four hours will be given for all Germans to leave France.
But--you took your nationality from the man you married. You are
American."
The girl flushed painfully: "I do not care to take shelter under his name," she said.
"It is the only way. And you must get to the coast in my car. There is
no time to lose. Every vehicle, private and public, will be seized for
military uses this morning. Every train will be crowded; every foot of
room occupied on the Channel boats. There is only one thing for you to
do--travel with me to Havre as my American maid."
"Madame--would you do that--for me?"
"Why, I've got to," said the Princess Mistchenka with a shrug. "I am
not a barbarian to leave you to a firing squad, I hope."
The car had stopped; the chauffeur descended and came around to open
the door.
"Caron," said the Princess, "no servants are stirring yet. Take my
key, find a cloak and bring it out--and a coat for Monsieur
Neeland--the one that Captain Sengoun left the other evening. Have you
plenty of gasoline?"
"Plenty, madame."
"Good. We leave for Havre in five minutes. Bring the cloak and coat
quickly."
The chauffeur hastened to the door, unlocked it, disappeared, then
came out carrying a voluminous wrap and a man's opera cloak. The
Princess threw the one over Ilse Dumont; Neeland enveloped himself in
the other.
"Now," murmured the Princess Naïa, "it will look more like a late
automobile party than an ambulance after a free fight--if any early
servants are watching us."
She descended from the car; Ilse Dumont followed, still clasping the
cat under her cloak; and Neeland followed her.
"Be very quiet," whispered the Princess. "There is no necessity for
servants to observe what we do----"
A small and tremulous voice from the head of the stairs interrupted
her: "Naïa! Is it you?"
"Hush, Ruhannah! Yes, darling, it is I. Everything is all right and
you may go back to bed----"