ly, quite forgetting Mrs. Greyne's injunction to keep her dark
in his desire to stand well with Rook's.

The ledger went off into a hyena imitation, and Alphonso, turning
still more away from Mr. Greyne, so as to get the eye fuller upon him,
exclaimed, in a mixture of Aryan and Eurasian languages:

"Sir, I am a respectable, unmarried man. I was born in Buenos Ayres,
educated in Smyrna, came of age in Constantinople, and have practised as
guide in Bagdad and other particular cities. I refuse to have anything
to do with you and your wife."

So saying, he bounced into the inner room, and banged the door, while
the ledger gave itself up to peals of merriment, and Mr. Greyne tottered
forth upon the sea-front, bathed in a cold perspiration, and feeling
more guilty than a murderer.

It was a staggering blow. He leaned over the stone parapet of the low
wall, and let the soft breezes from the bay flit through his hair, and
thought of Mrs. Greyne spurned by Alphonso. What was he to do? Kicked
out of Rook's, to whom could he apply? There must be wickedness in
Algiers, but where? He saw none, though night was falling and stout
Frenchmen were already intent upon their absinthe.

"Does monsieur wish to see the Kasbah to-night?"

Was it a voice from heaven? He turned, and saw standing beside him a
tall, thin, audacious-looking young man, with coal-black moustaches,
magnificent eyes, and an air that was half-languid, half-serpentine.

"Who are you?"

"I am a guide, monsieur. Here are my certificates."

He produced from the inner pocket of his coat a large bundle of dirty
papers.

"If monsieur will deign to look them over."

But Mr. Greyne waved them away. What did he care for Certificates?
Here was a guide to African frailty. That was sufficient. He was in a
desperate mood, and uttered desperate words.

"Look here," he said rapidly, "are you wicked?"

"Very wicked, monsieur."

"Good!"

"Wicked, monsieur."

"Right!"

"Wrong, monsieur."

"I mean that it is good for me that you are wicked."

"Monsieur is very good."

"Yes; but I wish to be--that is, to see the other thing. Can you
undertake to show me everything shocking in Algiers?"

"But certainly, monsieur. For a consideration."

"Name your price."

"Two hundred pounds, monsieur."

Mr. Greyne started. It seemed a high figure.

"Monsieur thought it would be more? I make a special price, because
I have taken a fancy to monsieur. I remove fifty pounds. Mo