lifted her thin alpaca skirt, and Sylvia, with
astonishment, saw that hung round her capacious waist were a number of
little wash-leather bags. "My money is all 'ere!" exclaimed Madame
Wachner, laughing heartily. "It rests--oh, so cosily--against my
petticoat."

They went back into the kitchen. The water was boiling, and Sylvia made
the tea, Madame Wachner looking on with eager interest.

"La! La! it will be strong! I only put a pinch for ourselves. And now go
into the dining-room, and I will bring the teapot there to you, Madame!"

"No, no," said Sylvia laughing, "why should we not drink our tea here, in
this pretty kitchen?"

The other looked at her doubtfully. "Shall we?"

"Yes, of course!" cried Sylvia.

They drew up two rush-bottomed chairs to the table and sat down.

Sylvia thoroughly enjoyed this first taste of Madame Wachner's
hospitality. The drive and the great heat had made her feel tired and
languid, and the tea did her good.

"I will go and see if the carriage is there," said Madame Wachner at
last.

While her hostess was away, Sylvia looked round her with some curiosity.

What an extraordinary mode of life these people had chosen for
themselves! If the Wachners were rich enough to gamble, surely they had
enough money to live more comfortably than they were now doing? It was
clear that they hardly used the dining-room and drawing-room of the
little villa at all. When Sylvia had been looking for the butter, she had
not been able to help seeing that in the tiny larder there was only a
small piece of cheese, a little cold meat, and a couple of eggs on a
plate. No wonder Monsieur Wachner had heartily enjoyed the copious, if
rather roughly-prepared, meal at the Pension Malfait.

"Yes, the carriage is there," said Madame Wachner bustling back. "And now
we must be quick, or L'Ami Fritz will be cross! Do you know that absurd
man actually still thinks 'e is master, and yet we 'ave been married--oh,
I do not know 'ow many years! But he always loves seeing me even after we
'ave been separated but two hours or so!"

Together they went out, Madame Wachner carefully locking the door and
hiding the key where she had found it, under the mat outside.

Sylvia could not help laughing.

"I really wonder you do that," she observed. "Just think how easy it
would be for anyone to get into the house!"

"Yes, that is true, but there is nothing to steal. As I tell you, we
always carry our money about with us," sai