in a fix."

"That is well," she said. "You have good reason--a reason I cannot
explain," she added hurriedly, and with some agitation, "for trusting
me."

"I'd trust you with my life," said Derrick, impelled to the burst of
fervour by something in her manner and voice.

She held out her hand, and Derrick took it and pressed it; there was
something so melting in the tenderness of her gaze that again he was
impelled by a strange influence, and he bent and kissed the hand. As he
did so, she laid her other one upon his bent head; it was a touch soft
as thistle-down, as caressing as that of a mother; and as he felt it,
something tugged at Derrick's heart-strings. He turned away and left the
room quickly.

Some time after he had reached his own quarters, and had pondered over
the singular emotion which had been aroused in him during the scene, he
opened the first packet. It contained a large sum of money, greatly in
excess of his possible needs. The generosity of this great lady was
amazing. He stowed the notes in his belt and then turned to the other
packet. This he sewed up inside his waistcoat; it was too precious to be
committed to so commonplace a depository as the purse of a belt.

The following morning, as he stepped into the carriage--Donna Elvira's
own carriage of state!--he looked round on the chance and in the hope of
seeing her. She was nowhere in sight as the carriage started; but when
it was turning the bend of the road, still looking back earnestly, he
saw the tall figure standing on the steps of the patio. From the black
mantilla which shrouded her, she waved a hand.

CHAPTER XX

Derrick reached London on one of those mornings when she is at her very
best, and he felt his heart grow warm within him as he strode the
familiar pavements, and inhaled the air which seemed to him laden, not
with smoke but with the flowers which were blooming bravely in the parks
and squares. He had seen some beautiful places during his wanderings,
but it seemed to him that none of them could compare with this London
which every Englishman, abuse it as he may, regards sometimes with an
open and avowed affection, sometimes with a sneaking fondness.

Derrick was so full of the love of life, so thrilling with that sense of
youth and health for which millionaires would barter all their gold,
that it seemed to him difficult to believe that he was the same man who,
only a few months ago, had paced the same streets, weighe