rashing pitch
just here, and then ceased suddenly. With its ceasing her escort, who
rejoiced in the well-known "wide-awake American look," and saw all that
was to be seen within his range of vision, spoke:

"You knew that man who just passed, didn't you?"

She started, having forgotten the very existence of him who addressed
her.

"Yes, oh, yes," she said confusedly; "I know him very well indeed," and
then she was choked to silence by Von Ibn, who turned and gave her a
carefully cold look of complete unrecognition. It was too elaborate to
be genuine, but it made her feel sick all over; for where other women
had brains or souls, Rosina had a heart, and again a heart, and yet once
more a heart. And that heart was not only the mainspring of her physical
life, but it was also the source of all her thoughts and actions. Von
Ibn's haughty stare pierced it to the very centre; she knew exactly what
he was thinking, and the injustice of appearances goaded her to
distraction. She did not stop to consider whether his own re-appearance
was or was not an unworthy trick; she only writhed painfully under the
lash of his vast displeasure. The American continued to probe her face
with his eyes, but for that she cared not a whit; her only care was for
those other eyes, those two great dark-circled, heavy-lidded eyes which
knew no mask and tore her to the quick. Her mind fled here and there
among the possibilities of the present, and found but one end to every
vista, and that end grew momentarily in importance until she felt that
at all costs he who glowered from afar must learn the falsity of his own
imaginings and so restore her peace of mind to her. She looked upon her
American friend as a mere means towards that end, a tool to quickly
accomplish that which her impatience could no longer delay. So she
leaned suddenly forward and threw herself upon his mercy.

"I must tell you," she cried hurriedly, "I know him very well--very,
very well. I did not know that he was in Zurich, and he--he did not
expect to see me here. I want to speak to him; I must speak to him--I
must!" And then, without paying any attention to the other's look of
astonishment, she added with haste, "I wish that you would go to him and
beg him to come to me for five minutes. I only want five minutes. And
some day, perhaps, I'll be able to do you a good turn too."

The American did not look exactly rejoiced over this latest development
in their acquaintance, but he