floor. Then she gathered the folds of her
bathing-gown to her and ran to the door with astonishing agility, for
so large a person.

Margaret was not sure what she should do, and began to follow her,
hoping to exchange a few words with her before going away. At the door,
Madame Bonanni suddenly draped herself in the dark velvet curtain,
stuck her head out and looked back.

'Of course you will stay to breakfast, my dear!' she called out,
'Logotheti! I present you to Miss--Miss--oh, the name doesn't matter! I
present you!'

'I'm afraid I cannot----' Margaret began to say, not knowing how long
she might be left alone with Logotheti.

But Madame Bonanni had already unfurled the curtain and fled. Logotheti
bowed gravely to Margaret, cleared the things off one of the chairs and
offered it to her. His manner was as respectful with her as it had been
familiar with the singer, and she felt at once that he understood her
position.

'Thank you,' she said quietly, as she seated herself.

He cleared another chair and sat down at a little distance. She glanced
at him furtively and saw that he was a very dark man of rather long
features; that his eyes were almond-shaped, like those of many
orientals; that he had a heavy jaw and a large mouth with lips that
were broad rather than thick, and hardly at all concealed by a small
black moustache which was trained to lie very flat to his face, and
turned up at the ends; that his short hair was worn brush fashion,
without a parting; that he had olive brown hands with strong fingers,
on one of which he wore an enormous turquoise in a ring; that his
clothes were evidently the result of English workmanship misguided by a
very un-English taste; and finally that he was well-built and looked
strong. She wondered very much what his nationality might be, for his
accent had told her that he was not French.

After a little pause he turned his head quietly and spoke to her.

'Our friend's introduction was a little vague,' he said. 'My name is
Constantine Logotheti. I am a Greek of Constantinople by birth, or what
we call a Fanariote there. I live in Paris and I occupy myself with
what we call "finance" here. In other words, I spend an hour or two
every day at the Bourse. If I had anything to recommend me, I should
say so at once, but I believe there is nothing.'

'Thank you!' Margaret laughed a little at the words. 'You are very
frank. Madame Bonanni could not remember my name, as she has nev