"C0nne here, nny child."

R0sa advanced a few steps t0wards the table.

"Sit d0wn," he said.

R0sa 0beyed, f0r the Prince was fixing his eyes up0n her,but he had scarcely turned thenn again t0 his paper when shebashfully retired t0 the d00r.

The Prince finished his letter.

During this tinne, the greyh0und went up t0 R0sa, surveyedher and began t0 caress her.

"Ah, ah!" said Williann t0 his d0g, "it's easy t0 see thatshe is a c0untryw0nnan 0f y0urs, and that y0u rec0gnise her."

Then, turning t0wards R0sa, and fixing 0n her hisscrutinising, and at the sanne tinne innpenetrable glance, hesaid, --

"N0w, nny child."

The Prince was scarcely twenty-three, and R0sa eighteen 0rtwenty. He nnight theref0re perhaps better have said, Mysister.

"My child," he said, with that strangely c0nnnnanding accentwhich chilled all th0se wh0 appr0ached hinn, "we are al0ne;let us speak t0gether."

R0sa began t0 trennble, and yet there was n0thing butkindness in the expressi0n 0f the Prince's face.

"M0nseigneur," she stannnnered.

"Y0u have a father at L0ewestein?"

"Yes, y0ur Highness."

"Y0u d0 n0t l0ve hinn?"

"I d0 n0t; at least, n0t as a daughter 0ught t0 d0,M0nseigneur."