!"

John upraised two filthy ringed hands.

"That dirty skunk my brother! That son of--"

"That'll do, John! Be quiet."

"To-morrow I till you all about the gentleman. Here is another fine
girl! I know her very well."

A languid lady, with a face painted as white as a wall, large scarlet
lips, eyes ringed with bluish black, and a gleaming and trailing black
gown which clung closely to her long and snake-like body, writhed on to
the stage, looking carefully sinister.

The dark man swallowed his drink, got up and made his way to the exit
from the garden. He passed close to the two young men, followed by
his Greek, at whom John cast a glance of scowling contempt, mingled,
however, with very definite inquiry.

"By Jove! He's almost spoilt my evening," said Ellis. "But we made a
mistake, Vernon. He isn't anything like forty."

"No; more like thirty under a cloud."

"By the look of things I should guess there are plenty of people under
a cloud in Pera. But that English feller stands out even here. This girl
is certainly a first-class wriggler, if she's nothing else."

They did not mention the stranger again that night. But John had not
forgotten him, and when he arrived at their hotel next day he at once
opened his capacious mouth and let out the following information:

"The gentleman's name is Denton, his other name is Mervyn, he is three
days in Constantinople, he lives in Hughes's Hotel in Pera, a very poor
house where chic people they never goes, he is out all day and always
walkin', he will not take a carriage, and he is never tired, Nicholas
Gounaris--the Greek guide--he is droppin' but the gentleman he does not
mind, he only sayin' if you cannot walk find me another guide what can,
every night he is out, too, and he is goin' to Stamboul when it is dark,
he is afraid of nothin' and goin' where travelers they never go, one
night Gounaris he had to show the traveler--"

But at this point Ellis shut John up.

"That'll do," he observed. "You're a diligent rascal, John. One must
say that. But we aren't a couple of spies, and we don't want to hear any
more about that feller."

And John, without bearing any malice, went off to complete his
arrangements for the journey to Brusa.

Two days later, Mrs. Clarke, who was at Buyukderer in a villa she had
taken for the summer months, but who had come into Constantinople to do
some shopping, saw "Mervyn Denton" in a side street close to the British
Embassy. Those dis