don't
know what that box contained!"

Then she relapsed into silence, plucking idly at the shred of
cambric she held between her fingers.

Already dusk was falling and the room was full of shadows. The
golden radiance of the afternoon had died and eerie wraiths of
fog were peering-in at the window.

Desmond held his peace. He felt he was on the threshold of a
confession that might rend the veil of mystery surrounding the
murder at Seven Kings. He stared fixedly at the ugly red
tablecloth, conscious that the big eyes of the girl were
searching his face.

"You have honest eyes," she said presently. "I told you that once
before... that night we met at your house... do you remember?
Your eyes are English. But you are a German, hein?"

"My mother was Irish," said Desmond and felt a momentary relief
that, for once, he had been able to speak the truth.

"I want a friend," the girl resumed wearily, "someone that I can
trust. But I look around and I find no one. You serve the German
Empire, do you not?"

Desmond bowed.

"But not the House of Hohenzollern?" the girl cried, her voice
trembling with passion.

"I am not of the Emperor's personal service, if that is what you
mean, madame," Desmond returned coldly.

"Then, since you are not altogether an iron Prussian," Nur-el-Din
resumed eagerly, "you can differentiate. You can understand that
there is a difference between working for the cause of Germany
and for the personal business of her princes."

"But certainly," answered Desmond, "I am not an errand boy nor
yet a detective. I regard myself as a German officer doing his
duty on the front. We have many fronts besides the Western and
the Eastern. England is one.

"Ah," exclaimed the girl, clasping her hands together and looking
at him with enraptured eyes, "I see you understand! My friend, I
am much tempted to make a confidant of you!"

Desmond looked at her but did not speak. Again he felt that
silence was now his only role. He tried hard to fix his mind on
his duty; but the man in him was occupied with the woman who
looked so appealingly at him.

"... but if I do," the girl went on and her voice was hurried and
anxious, "you must swear to me that you will respect my
confidence, that you will not betray me to the others and that
you will, if need be, protect me."

Seeing that Desmond remained silent, she hastened to add:

"Believe me, what I ask you to do is not in opposition to your
duty. My friend, for