and most pronounced type of
dinner dress with a few jewels of value, but they gave her no air of
ostentation.

"I thought you were never coming," she said impatiently. "Why did you
stay talking to that girl so long?"

"Miss Graham? She's amusing and hasn't many acquaintances in the
hotel. I'm inclined to think her employer keeps a tight hand on her."

"She's pretty in an unformed way, which is more to the purpose," Mrs.
Chudleigh rejoined. "I heard the old woman abusing the manager because
one of her ridiculous pets is missing. But this is of no consequence.
You were going to tell me about your African plans."

"There are good reasons why I should do so. I haven't forgotten that
my advancement is largely due to you."

Mrs. Chudleigh laughed. "If you hint as much in public, it may come to
a sudden end. You ought to know that promotion is now made on merit."

"I'm modest. My merit's an uncertain quantity, but there's no doubt
about your influence. I'd sooner trust to it."

The remark was justified. He had shown courage and ability in
controlling rebellious tribes and settling disputes with French
officials on the frontier of the African colony, but Mrs. Chudleigh had
worked well for him. She had many friends, men of importance in
political and military circles were to be met in her London
drawing-room, but she was clever and those she obtained favours from
did not always realize how far they had yielded to her powers of
persuasion.

"Never mind that," she said. "Give me an opportunity and I'll exert my
powers; I'm fond of using them. Moving other people's hands and making
up their minds for them is a fascinating game, but I must have
something to act upon."

"I understand; we're both ambitious. Well, I'm in charge of a strip of
frontier territory, but so far I've had the veto of a cautious and
vacillating superior to contend with. The climate, however, is
breaking down his health, and he can't keep his post much longer; I
want full control. Now to the north of my malaria-haunted district
there's a belt of dry and valuable country, inhabited by industrious
Mohammedans. The French have their eye upon it, but our people know
its worth. Though our respective spheres of influence are badly
defined, neither side has found an excuse for occupying the coveted
region."

"Ah!" said Mrs. Chudleigh. "You intend to make an excuse."

"If I can, but it will have to be a good one. That is, we must give