"Ah! thank you. Mr. Trevlyn may not care for an addition to his nice little arrangement for a tête-à-tête."
"Don't be vexed, Alexandrine. We thought you would pass the evening at your friend's, and Archer only came in to tell me a few hours ago."
"Of course I am not vexed, dear," and the girl kissed Margie's glowing cheek. "Lovers will be lovers the world over. Silly things, always, and never interesting company for other people. How long before Mr. Trevlyn is coming for you?"
Margie consulted her watch.
"At eight. It is now seven. In an hour."
"In an hour! An hour's time! Long enough to change the destiny of empires!"
"How strangely you talk, Alexandrine! What spirit possesses you?" asked Margie, filled, in spite of herself, with a curious premonition of evil.
Alexandrine sat down by the side of her friend, and looked searchingly into her face, her great black eyes holding Margie with a sort of serpent-like fascination.
"Margaret, you love this Archer Trevlyn very dearly do you not?"
Margie blushed crimson, but she answered, proudly: