out me?"

"I have not seen her for months, Mr. Ware, not since that terrible event
which has made a fugitive of her."

Giles was bitterly disappointed, and his face showed his feelings. From
what Mrs. Cairns had said he was certain that the Princess would be able
to help him, and here she confessed an ignorance of Anne's whereabouts.
Nevertheless Ware still hoped. He thought that not knowing his real
errand, she was feigning ignorance for the sake of her friend's safety.
"I am sorry she has not spoken to you about me," he remarked, "for then
you would know that I wish her well."

"Oh, I know that. Anne--I may as well call her Anne to you, Mr.
Ware--wrote to me from Rickwell several times. She told me all about
you. But I have not seen her since the death of your fiancee. I have no
idea where she is now."

"I thought--and Mrs. Cairns thought--that she would come to you in her
distress, or at least communicate her whereabouts."

"She has done neither, and I do not know where to address a letter."

"What is to be done?" said Giles half to himself and much distressed.

Princess Karacsay rose and glanced at the clock with a laugh. "Oh, if we
talk, something may come of our putting our heads together," she said.
"Meantime we can make ourselves comfortable. Here are coffee and
cigarettes, Mr. Ware. Would you prefer a cigar?"

"No, thank you, Princess. These look very good."

"Both coffee and cigarettes are Turkish," said she, handing him a cup
and afterwards a cigarette. "I get them from a cousin of mine who is an
attache at Constantinople. Come now." She lighted a cigarette for
herself and sat down on an amber divan near Ware's chair. "Let us talk
before my friend arrives."

"I beg your pardon, Princess, I hope my coming----"

"No, no," she explained hurriedly. "I asked my friend to meet you."

"Indeed." Giles was much surprised. "I did not know we had a mutual
friend."

The Princess nodded and blew a cloud of smoke. "At ten o'clock you shall
see him. I won't tell you who he is. A little surprise, Mr. Ware."

Ware looked at her sharply, but could make nothing of the enigmatic
smile on her face. She was undeniably a very beautiful woman as she
lounged amongst the amber-tinted cushions, but in her dress and general
looks there was something barbaric. She wore a dinner dress of mingled
scarlet and black, and many chains of sequins which jingled with her
every movement. As Ware's eyes met her own she flashed a lan