lexion of the Nepaul
days, as the clear-eyed woman, faintly smiling, discerned his "hedging"
policy.

"You will not be put to the slightest inconvenience." She opened a
handsome traveling bag. The falcon-eyed Major Hawke observed the gleam
of a pearl handled and silver chased revolver of serviceable make, and
there was also a very wicked-looking Venetian dagger lying on the table,
even then within the lady's reach! "Here is the sum of five hundred
pounds in English notes," said Berthe. "That will neatly take you to
Delhi, and there is fifty more to liquidate my bill, and pay the
medical expenses. I am not desirous that the landlord should know of my
departure. You may bring all my trunks on. I will be waiting for you
at the 'Vittorio Emmanuele' at Brindisi. Please do telegraph to me from
Turin of your arrival."

Cool globe-trotter as he was, Alan Hawke was speechless. "Shall I not
see you safely on board the Constance train?" he muttered.

"The nurse will attend to all that; money will do a great deal," the
lady said. "I will send her back from Constance. Please do ring the
bell." The Major was obedient, and he listened in dumb astonishment, as
Madame Louison ordered a very dainty supper for two, with a bottle
of Burgundy and a well-iced flask of Veuve Cliquot. When the door had
closed upon the gaping servant, the lady merrily laughed:

"Pray take up your sinews of war, Major. I shall consider you as
retained in my service, if I am obeyed."

Alan Hawke turned and faced the puzzling "employer" with a half defiant
question: "And when shall I know the real nature of my duties?" as he
carefully folded up the welcome bundle of notes, without even looking at
them.

"Major, you are not an homme d'affaires. Do me the favor to count your
money," laughed the mocking convalescent. "Thank you," continued
the lady as he obeyed her. "Now I will only detain you here till ten
o'clock. Then you must disappear and not know me again until we meet at
the Hotel Vittorio Emmanuele at Brindisi. Should any accident occur, you
are to take the Sepoy for Bombay direct and go on to Delhi. Leave me a
letter at Suez and also one at Aden, care P. and O. Company. I will ask
at each of these places. I will go direct to Calcutta, and will then
meet you at Delhi. Arriving at Delhi, you may telegraph to me care
Grindlay & Co., Calcutta."

"I wonder if she bled Anstruther," inwardly growled Hawke, as he
recognized the name of that social butterfly