roach; "but you never even mentioned it, and I
discovered it quite by accident."

Ilse Dumont seemed to find her voice with an effort:

"May I have a word with you, Mr. Neeland?" she asked.

"Always," he assured her promptly. "I am always more than happy to
listen to you----"

"Please follow me!"

He turned to the girl on the sofa and made his adieux with
conventional ceremony and a reckless smile which said:

"You were quite right, mademoiselle; I'm in trouble already."

Then he followed Ilse Dumont into the adjoining room, which was lined
with filled bookcases and where the lounges and deep chairs were
covered with leather.

Halting by the library table, Ilse Dumont turned to him--turned on him
a look such as he never before had encountered in any living woman's
eyes--a dead gaze, dreadful, glazed, as impersonal as the fixed regard
of a corpse.

She said:

"I came.... They sent for me.... I did not believe they had the right
man.... I could not believe it, Neeland."

A trifle shaken, he said in tones which sounded steady enough:

"What frightens you so, Scheherazade?"

"Why did you come? Are you absolutely mad?"

"Mad? No, I don't think so," he replied with a forced smile. "What
threatens me here, Scheherazade?"--regarding her pallid face
attentively.

"Death.... You must have known it when you came."

"Death? No, I didn't know it."

"Did you suppose that if they could get hold of you they'd let you
go?--A man who might carry in his memory the plans for which they
tried to kill you? I wrote to you--I wrote to you to go back to
America! And--_this_ is what you have done instead!"

"Well," he said in a pleasant but rather serious voice, "if you
really believe there is danger for me if I remain here, perhaps I'd
better go."

"You _can't_ go!"

"You think I'll be stopped?"

"Yes. Who is your crazy companion? I heard that he is Alak
Sengoun--the headlong fool--they call Prince Erlik. Is it true?"

"Where did you hear all these things?" he demanded. "Where were you
when you heard them?"

"At the Turkish Embassy. Word came that they had caught you. I did not
believe it; others present doubted it.... But as the rumour concerned
_you_, I took no chances; I came instantly. I--I had rather be dead
than see you here----" Her voice became unsteady, but she controlled
it at once:

"Neeland! Neeland! Why did you come? Why have you undone all I tried
to do for you----?"

He looked intently at Ilse