enter. Another moment, and he
was in the presence of her mistress, in that dim, amber light from the
standing candelabra, in that heavy, soft-scented air perfumed from the
aloe-wood burning in a brazier, through which he saw, half blinded at
first coming from the darkness without, that face which subdued and
dazzled even the antagonism and the lawlessness of Cigarette.

He bowed low before her, preserving that distant ceremonial due from the
rank he ostensibly held to hers.

"Madame, this is very merciful! I know not how to thank you."

She motioned to him to take a seat near to her, while the Levantine, who
knew nothing of the English tongue, retired to the farther end of the
tent.

"I only kept my word," she answered, "for we leave the camp to-morrow;
Africa next week."

"So soon!"

She saw the blood forsake the bronzed fairness of his face, and leave
the dusky pallor there. It wounded her as if she suffered herself. For
the first time she believed what the Little One had said--that this man
loved her.

"I sent for you," she continued hurriedly, her graceful languor and
tranquillity for the first time stirred and quickened by emotion, almost
by embarrassment. "It was very strange, it was very painful, for me to
trust that child with such a message. But you know us of old; you know
we do not forsake our friends for considerations of self-interest
or outward semblance. We act as we deem right; we do not heed untrue
constructions. There are many things I desire to say to you----"

She paused; he merely bent his head; he could not trust the calmness of
his voice in answer.

"First," she continued, "I must entreat you to allow me to tell Philip
what I know. You cannot conceive how intensely oppressive it becomes to
me to have any secret from him. I never concealed so much as a thought
from my brother in all my life, and to evade even a mute question from
his brave, frank eyes makes me feel a traitress to him."

"Anything else," he muttered. "Ask me anything else. For God's sake, do
not let him dream that I live!"

"But why? You still speak to me in enigmas. To-morrow, moreover, before
we leave, he intends to seek you out as what he thinks you--a soldier
of France. He is interested by all he hears of your career; he was first
interested by what I told him of you when he saw the ivory carvings at
my villa. I asked the little vivandiere to tell you this, but, on second
thoughts it seemed best to see you myself o