Marie's face beamed with delight.
"Then I will send for the old père and mère from Paris. I will set them up in a little shop on the boulevard—what you call it, the avenue? Bon!" she cried, jubilantly.
Early the next morning Marie made her appearance at the grand hotel where the Merediths were staying, and by an artful story contrived to ingratiate herself again into the favor of Jewel.
"I will tell you a secret, but pray do not breathe it to any one. I am but a poor maid, and no one might believe me," she said, "but, Miss Fielding, I am afraid that Miss Brooke has designs on my life. Last night I found a little box of dynamite upon the door, and when I flung it out of the window there was a loud explosion. I do not know what I have done to her to incur her anger, but it certainly looked as if she had attempted my life."
Jewel agreed with her, and took her into her employ again, while her heart sunk with disappointment at Azalia Brooke's escape from her clever snare.
"She seems to bear a charmed life. Three times she has escaped my vengeance!" she thought, uneasily.
But she consoled herself with the thought that yesterday's work had at least accomplished one good turn, as it had brought the clever Marie back into her service. She would have to contrive still another plan to get rid of her dangerous rival.
[CHAPTER XLIX.]
Azalia spent a very restless day and night after Marie had left her to go upon her secret quest. Her mind was busy, and her lover, Lord Clive, was nearly all the time in her thoughts.