"Oh?" she cried and threw out her hands in entreaty. "Do not ask me of
_him_! I dare not answer--I dare not!"

"You have answered," said Stuart, in a voice unlike his own; for a
horrified amazement was creeping upon him and supplanting the
contemptuous anger which the discovery of this beautiful girl engaged
in pilfering his poor belongings had at first aroused.

The mystery of her operations was explained--explained by a deeper
and a darker mystery. The horror of the night had been no dream but
an almost incredible reality. He now saw before him an agent of the
man in the cowl; he perceived that he was in some way entangled in an
affair vastly more complex and sinister than a case of petty larceny.

"Has the golden scorpion anything to do with the matter?" he demanded
abruptly.

And in the eyes of his beautiful captive he read the answer. She
flinched again as she had done when he had taunted her with being a
thief; but he pressed his advantage remorselessly.

"So you were concerned in the death of Sir Frank Narcombe!" he said.

"I was not!" she cried at him fiercely, and her widely opened eyes
were magnificent. "Sir Frank Narcombe is----"

She faltered--and ceased speaking, biting her lip which had become
tremulous again.

"Sir Frank Narcombe is?" prompted Stuart, feeling himself to stand
upon the brink of a revelation.

"I know nothing of him--this Sir Frank Narcombe."

Stuart laughed unmirthfully.

"Am I, by any chance, in danger of sharing the fate of that
distinguished surgeon?" he asked.

His question produced an unforeseen effect. Mlle. Dorian suddenly
rested her jewelled hands upon his shoulders, and he found himself
looking hungrily into those wonderful Eastern eyes.

"If I swear that I speak the truth, will you believe me?" she
whispered, and her fingers closed convulsively upon his shoulders.

He was shaken. Her near presence was intoxicating. "Perhaps," he said
unsteadily.

"Listen, then. _Now_ you are in danger, yes. Before, you were not, but
now you must be very careful. Oh! indeed, indeed, I tell you true! I
tell you for your own sake. Do with me what you please. I do not care.
It does not matter. You ask me why I come here. I tell you that also.
I come for what is in the long envelope--look, I cannot hide it. It
is on the fire!"

Stuart turned and glanced toward the grate. A faint wisp of brown
smoke was arising from a long white envelope which lay there. Had the
fire been actually