a beautiful garden), but the ladies were out. Nevill
wrote a note on his card, explaining that his aunt would like to bring a
friend, whose relatives had once lived in the house; and this done, they
had a swift run about the beautiful country in the neighbourhood of
Algiers.

It was dinner-time when they returned, and meanwhile an answer had come
from Mrs. Jewett. She would be delighted to see any friend of Lady
MacGregor's, and hoped Miss Ray might be brought to tea the following
afternoon.

"Shall we send a note to her hotel, or shall we stroll down after
dinner?" asked Nevill.

"Suppose we stroll down," Stephen decided, trying to appear indifferent,
though he was ridiculously pleased at the idea of having a few
unexpected words with Victoria.

"Good. We might take a look at the Kasbah afterward," said Nevill.
"Night's the time when it's most mysterious, and we shall be close to
the old town when we leave Miss Ray's hotel."

Dinner seemed long to Stephen. He could have spared several courses.
Nevertheless, though they sat down at eight, it was only nine when they
started out. Up on the hill of Mustapha Superieur, all was peaceful
under the moonlight; but below, in the streets of French shops and
cafes, the light-hearted people of the South were ready to begin
enjoying themselves after a day of work. Streams of electric light
poured from restaurant windows, and good smells of French cooking
filtered out, as doors opened and shut. The native cafes were crowded
with dark men smoking chibouques, eating kous-kous, playing dominoes, or
sipping absinthe and golden liqueurs which, fortunately not having been
invented in the Prophet's time, had not been forbidden by him. Curio
shops and bazaars for native jewellery and brasswork were still open,
lit up with pink and yellow lamps. The brilliant uniforms of young
Spahis and Zouaves made spots of vivid colour among the dark clothes of
Europeans, tourists, or employes in commercial houses out for amusement.
Sailors of different nations swung along arm in arm, laughing and ogling
the handsome Jewesses and painted ladies from the Levant or Marseilles.
American girls just arrived on big ships took care of their chaperons
and gazed with interest at the passing show, especially at the
magnificent Arabs who appeared to float rather than walk, looking
neither to right nor left, their white burnouses blowing behind them.
The girls stared eagerly, too, at the few veiled and swathed