ressed was of a type fully to account for the misgivings
of the shrewd old Scotswoman. She had the slim beauty of the East
allied to the elegance of the West. Her features, whilst cast in a
charming European mould, at the same time suggested in some subtle
way the Oriental. She had the long, almond-shaped eyes of the Egyptian,
and her hair, which she wore unconventionally in a picturesque
fashion reminiscent of the _harem_, was inclined to be "fuzzy," but
gleamed with coppery tints where the light touched its waves.

She wore a cloak of purple velvet having a hooded collar of white fox
fur; it fastened with golden cords. Beneath it was a white and gold
robe, cut with classic simplicity of line and confined at the waist
by an ornate Eastern girdle. White stockings and dull gold shoes
exhibited to advantage her charming little feet and slim ankles, and
she carried a handbag of Indian beadwork. Mlle. Dorian was a figure
calculated to fire the imagination of any man and to linger long and
sweetly in the memory.

Mrs. M'Gregor, palpably ill at ease, conducted her to an armchair.

"You are very good," said the visitor, speaking with a certain
hesitancy and with a slight accent most musical and fascinating.
"I wait a while if I may."

"Dear, dear," muttered Mrs. M'Gregor, beginning to poke the fire, "he
has let the fire down, of course! Is it out? No ... I see a wee
sparkie!"

She set the poker upright before the nearly extinguished fire and
turned triumphantly to Mlle. Dorian, who was watching her with a
slight smile.

"That will be a comforting blaze in a few minutes, Miss Dorian," she
said, and went towards the door.

"If you please," called the girl, detaining her--"do you permit me to
speak on the telephone a moment? As Dr. Stuart is not at home, I must
explain that I wait for him."

"Certainly, Miss Dorian," replied Mrs. M'Gregor; "use the telephone
by all means. But I think the doctor will be back any moment now."

"Thank you so much."

Mrs. M'Gregor went out, not without a final backward glance at the
elegant figure in the armchair. Mlle. Dorian was seated, her chin
resting in her hand and her elbow upon the arm of the chair, gazing
into the smoke arising from the nearly extinguished ember of the fire.
The door closed, and Mrs. M'Gregor's footsteps could be heard receding
along the corridor.

Mlle. Dorian sprang from the chair and took out of her handbag a
number of small keys attached to a ring. Furtiv