The night of the bear-hunter's return there was to be a small dinner at
the Ardácheff house. The Princess had arranged that there should be a
party of six; so that while the four played bridge the fiancés might
talk to one another. She was growing almost nervous, and indeed it had
required all Stephen Strong's assurance that things eventually would
come right to prevent her from being actually unhappy.

"Let 'em alone!" the old man said. "Take no notice! you won't regret
it."

Tamara had only got up from her bed that afternoon and was very pale
and feeble. She wore a white clinging dress and seemed a mere slip of a
girl. The great string of beautiful pearls, Gritzko's latest gift,
which had arrived that morning, was round her neck, and her sweet eyes
glanced up sadly from the blue shadows which encircled them.

Gritzko was already there when the Princess and Tamara reached the
first salon, and his eyes swam with passionate concern when he saw how
Tamara had been suffering. He could not restrain the feeling in his
voice as he exclaimed: "You have been ill!--my sweet lady! Oh! Tantine, why did you not send
for me? How could you let her suffer?"

And a sudden wave of happiness came over Tamara when he kissed her
hand. She was so weak the least thing could have made her cry.