Their heads were almost touching.  Suddenly she drew apart.  He glanced at her in some surprise, conscious of an extraordinary change in her face, of the half-uttered exclamation strangled upon her lips.  He turned his head and followed the direction of her eyes.  Three young men in the uniform of officers had entered the room, and stood there as though looking about for a table.  Before them the little company of head-waiters had almost prostrated themselves.  The manager, summoned in breathless haste, had made a reverential approach.

“Who are these young men?” Norgate enquired.

His companion made no reply.  Her fine, silky eyebrows were drawn a little closer together.  At that moment the tallest of the three newcomers seemed to recognise her.  He strode at once towards their table.  Norgate, glancing up at his approach, was simply conscious of the coming of a fair young man of ordinary German type, who seemed to be in a remarkably bad temper.

“So I find you here, Anna!”

The Baroness rose as though unwillingly to her feet.  She dropped the slightest of curtseys and resumed her place.

“Your visit is a little unexpected, is it not, Karl?” she remarked.

“Apparently!” the young man answered, with an unpleasant laugh.

He turned and stared at Norgate, who returned his regard with half-amused, half-impatient indifference.  The Baroness leaned forward eagerly.

“Will you permit me to present Mr. Francis Norgate to you, Karl?”

Norgate, who had suddenly recognised the newcomer, rose to his feet, bowed and remained standing.  The Prince’s only reply to the introduction was a frown.

“Kindly give me your seat,” he said imperatively.  “I will conclude your entertainment of the Baroness.”

For a moment there was a dead silence.  In the background several of the maitres d’hotel had gathered obsequiously around.  For some reason or other, every one seemed to be looking at Norgate as though he were a criminal.

“Isn’t your request a little unusual, Prince?” he remarked drily.

The colour in the young man’s face became almost purple.

“Did you hear what I said, sir?” he demanded.  “Do you know who I am?”

“Perfectly,” Norgate replied.  “A prince who apparently has not learnt how to behave himself in a public place.”

The young man took a quick step forward.  Norgate’s fists were clenched and his eyes glittering.  The Baroness stepped between them.

“Mr. Norgate,” she said, “you will please give me your escort home.”

The Prince’s companions had seized him, one by either arm.  An older man who had been dining in a distant corner of the room, and who wore the uniform of an officer of high rank, suddenly approached.  He addressed the Prince, and they all talked together in excited whispers.  Norgate with calm fingers arranged the cloak around his companion and placed a hundred mark note upon his plate.