by the tears of sorrow and
adversity, fills the longing and faithful heart, in days of absence,
with its flowers of rarest fragrance and blossoms of unfading beauty.
Nadine Johnstone, speeding on over sapphire seas, had already conquered
the tender secret of the simple Justine Delande's heart; and in her own
loving day-dreams:

"Aye she loot the tears down fa' for Jock o' Hazeldean!"

"I must see him again! I must see him!" she fondly pledged her waiting
heart. With the serpent cunning of a loving maiden, she brooded like a
dove with tender eyes, and so in her heart of hearts, determined to
draw forth from her stalwart cousin, Douglas Fraser, the secret of their
future destination. And the honest fellow became even as wax in
her hands; while the gloomy Hardwicke, in far-away Delhi, eyed the
parchment-faced Hugh Johnstone in mute wonder, at the long official
reception in the Marble House. "Will he not vouchsafe to me even one
word of thanks?" thought the young man, in an increasing wonder.

But, Ram Lal Singh, when Major Alan Hawke drew him into the sanctum
behind the shop, showed a dark face, seamed with lines of care. "There
will be some terrible happening!" muttered the smooth old Mohammedan.

He had good gift of the world's gear, and now preferred the role of fox
to lion. "She knows nothing as yet. I waited till I could see you. I
dared not to tell her. She only fancies that this official visit of the
General-Sahib from Calcutta will, of course, take up all their time at
the marble house. But she begs me to watch them all, and she has given
me some little presents--money presents." Hawke winced, but in silence.
His employer trusted him not. Here was proof positive.

"How in the devil's name did they get away without you knowing of it?"
demanded Hawke. "If you are lying to me, Ram Lal, we may lose both our
pickings from this fat pagoda tree. You see old Johnstone may slip away
after the girl. He may leave here with Abercromby."

The jewel merchant's eyes gleamed with a smoldering fire. "Johnstone
Sahib will not leave Delhi. It is in the stars! He has too much here
to leave. There are many old ties which bind. No, he will not go like
a thief in the night." Hawke was surprised at the old rascal's evident
emotion.

"Then tell me what you think about the disappearance of these women,"
said Hawke, watching him keenly.

"I have seen all my friends in the station, even the mail clerks,
telegraph men, and all," bega