tressed eyes of hers were very observant. There were
many people in the street, and "Denton," who was alone, was several
yards away from her, and was walking with his back towards her; but she
immediately recognized him, quickened her steps till she was close to
him, and then said:

"Dion Leith!"

Dion heard the husky voice and turned round. He did not say anything,
but he took off the soft hat he was wearing. Mrs. Clarke stared at him
with the unself-conscious directness which was characteristic of her.
She saw Dion for the first time since the tragedy which had changed his
life, but she had written to him more than once. Her last letter had
come from Buyukderer. He had answered it, but he had not told her where
he was, had not even hinted to her that he might come to Constantinople.
Nevertheless, she did not now show any surprise. She just looked at him
steadily, absorbed all the change in him swiftly, and addressed herself
to the new man who stood there before her.

"Come with me to the Hotel de Paris. I'm spending the night there, and
go back to-morrow to Buyukderer. I had something to do in town."

She had not given him her hand, and he did not attempt to take it. He
put on his hat, turned and walked at her side. Neither of them spoke
a word until they had come into the uproar of the Grande Rue, which
surrounded them with a hideous privacy. Then Mrs. Clarke said;

"Where are you staying?"

"At Hughes's Hotel."

"I never heard of it."

"It's in Brusa Street. It's cheap."

"And horrible," she thought.

But she did not say so.

"I have only been here three days," Dion added.

"Do you remember that I once said to you I knew you would come back to
Constantinople?"

For a moment his face was distorted. When she saw that she looked away
gravely, at the glittering shops and at the Perotes who were passing
by with the slow and lounging walk which they affect in the Grande Rue.
Presently she heard him say:

"You were right. It was all arranged. It was all planned out. Even then
I believe I knew it would be so, that I should come back here."

"Why have you come?"

"I don't know," he answered, and his voice, which had been hard and
fierce, became suddenly dull.

"He really believes that," she thought.

"Here is the hotel," she said. "I'm all alone. Jimmy has been out, but
has had to go back to Eton. I wish you had seen him."

"Oh no!" said Dion, almost passionately.

They went up in a lift, worked by