r wouldn't know you from
Adam in this spiffing get-up. And it wouldn't matter a tinker's curse
then if Waldemar was back or not."

"It would matter a great deal, my friend--don't deceive yourself
upon that point. For one thing, Captain Maltravers is registered at
the office as having just arrived from India after a ten years'
absence, and ten years ago Miss Margaret Larue was not only unknown
to fame, but must have been still in pinafores, so how was he to
have made her acquaintance? Then, too, she doesn't expect to see
me without you, so I should have to introduce myself and stop to
explain matters--yes, and even risk her companion getting excited and
saying something indiscreet, and those are rather dangerous affairs
in a public tearoom, with everybody's eyes no doubt fixed upon the
lady. No, you must attend to the matter yourself, my friend; so nip
off and be about it. If the lady and her companion are there,
just whisper them to say nothing, but follow you immediately. If they
are not there, slip out and warn them not to come. Look sharp--the
situation is ticklish!"

And just how ticklish Mr. Narkom realized when he descended and
made his way to the public tearoom. For the usual four o'clock
gathering of shoppers and sightseers was there in full force,
the well-filled room was like a hive full of buzzing bees who
were engaged in imparting confidences to one another, the name of
"Margaret Larue" was being whispered here, there and everywhere, and
all eyes were directed toward a far corner where at a little round
table Margaret Larue herself sat in company with Mr. Harrison
Trent engaged in making a feeble pretence of enjoying a tea which
neither of them wanted and upon which neither was bestowing a
single thought.

Narkom spotted them at once, made his way across the crowded room,
said something to them in a swift, low whisper, and immediately
became at once the most envied and most unpopular person in the
whole assembly; for Miss Larue and her companion arose instantly
and, leaving some pieces of silver on the table, walked out with him
and robbed the room of its chief attraction.

All present had been deeply interested in the entire proceeding, but
none more so than the tall, distinguished looking foreign gentleman
seated all alone at the exactly opposite end of the room from the
table where Miss Larue and her companion had been located; for his
had been the tensest kind of interest from the very instant Mr.