that her friends could be laughing and drinking as if nothing had happened. For the first time since her acquaintance with Rao-Singh she realized the breach between this Oriental and herself. He was a brigand, eager to seize with greedy hands what he desired. She feared him with all her heart.
She could hardly restrain her relief when Dudley Drake, having at last escaped from the capable Lucy, was at her side.
"What's the matter?" he said bluntly. "Are you ill? You look pale. It's the tobacco and this confounded incense, I guess. It's stifling here. Let's run. Will you?"
This time Carmelita gave in to him. She said good-by to her friends, kissing Lucy and thanking her with a promise to see her in the morning, not giving her a chance to question the reason for the hurried departure. Rao-Singh, now thoroughly composed, bowed over her hand and uttered a polite adieu to Dudley.
And then the door closed upon them and Dudley found himself miraculously alone with her. They walked down the steps and started to wake the snoring chauffeur of one of the taxis waiting at the curb. But suddenly Dudley paused. An ancient victoria drawn by a seedy horse and driven by an old, nodding coachman was wheeling by chance slowly up
