Suddenly she came across the room to him, her hand outstretched, her dark face glowing.
“Forgive me if I seem unthankful,” she said in her rich low voice. “I am not. And forgive me because I can say so little. Perhaps the time will come when I can tell you all, and thank you as you deserve. But please understand that I understand, and that I appreciate, what you have done for me, and the danger you are now incurring in being here.”
As he looked into her glowing eyes, his words burst out of their own accord. “I would rather be here than any place else in the world!”
She flushed slightly under his gaze. “Good-night—” and she pressed his hand.
“Good-night,” said he.
He stepped into the other room, and the next moment the key turned in the lock.
CHAPTER III
A LONG JOURNEY THAT WAS SOON ENDED
DREXEL walked to one of the long windows and gazed down into the bright street through which those absurd-looking yet comfortable little sleighs, the winter cabs of Russia, were still whizzing to and fro. Less than three hours had passed since the young woman had entered his compartment, and hardly more than a quarter since this strange adventure had taken a new turn by sending them together to the Hotel Metropole. Dazed, tingling, he began dimly to wonder what they would do on the morrow, and what was to be the outcome of it all.
But his thoughts were not to be completed. He had been in the room no more than a couple of minutes when a rap sounded at his hall door. He opened it and there stood a hotel porter.
The porter held out a pad of paper. “Will monsieur please write his and madame’s name for the registry?”