Part 4 (1/2)

There wait for me I shall be ready by eleven-fifteen at the latest

That is all No! I forgot the reward!”

”Reward!” he echoed, puzzled

”You forget you saved”Close your eyes--proive you leave You pro

He closed his eyes and waited With a htly on the cheek Lionel started In a otten the husband All he kneas that a heavenly creature had deigned to kiss hily, and by an effort of pride he kept his eyes closed But he stood up, his arms held out There was dead silence for a moment, and then--

”Am I still bound?”

”You are free,” she saidthan the drea a little, though her eyes shone defiance

”Why did you do that?” he breathed, aflaive me,” she pleaded in tones that disarmed him

Lionel remembered his role as ayour pardon,” he said, but a little bitterly She lowered her eyes

”It is I who should beg yours Ithat roht ho!”

CHAPTER IV

BREAKERS AHEAD!

At eleven-thirty Lionel found hi a tete-a-tete supper in a Bloomsbury flat He had obtained a cab, as coether There had been no adventures, no spies, no one, for after the thrills of the afternoon and evening neither had been in theher flat, which was on the first floor, the lady had let herself in with a latch-key, and they had gone straight into the prettiest little sitting-rooinable Here a cold supper, simple but excellent, was laid: a bottle of hock and a siphon of leether, talking briskly of various themes, but Lukos and the treaty were not mentioned till they had finished When they had established thearettes the lady said: ”And now let me tell you what I want you to do But first of all, will you please ring for coffee?”

Lionel obeyed, awaiting with some curiosity the expected newcomer Would it be a smart maid, a mysterious man servant, or a crone with a history in every wrinkle? His doubts were speedily resolved The door opened without noise, and there entered theparlor maid the heart of man could wish She was, of course, in a maid's livery--the black and white that is so simple, serviceable, and that can be so picturesque

Her figure was the triinable, her eyes were a dusky brown, her hair was of jet The last was arranged in a coiffure that a thoughtless irl of fifteen would have known its value at a glance The features of this disturbing damsel were not faultless--the nose, for example, did not perfectly succeed, but her eyebrows looked as if they had been drawn by a painter, the mouth promised a treasury of kisses, and the complexion bespoke an air less rude than London's, for it shaed to remind himself that the mistress had first clais, please, Mizzi,” said the lady, notin coffee”

(”Mizzi!” thought Lionel ”Then she is a German or Austrian And I called myself a Teuto-phobe!”)

The supper was speedily cleared and the coffee brought The lady sipped reflectively for a few ed into the business

”What I want you to do,” she said abruptly, ”is to help ainst surprises You must remember that he had had some years of monotonous wear-and-tear at the hands of the world and at ti for drink But he prided himself on his self-control, and had felt sure that he would meet any adventure with an assuht feel within So far he had done pretty well: he had stopped a runaway horse, rescued a char hours in her company, and on the whole had kept himself in hand But to be asked in aa felony was al-froid However, he rereat achievereat sacrifices Besides, she was so adorable, and he hated to back out of any enterprise

”By all means,” he said with a wan cheerfulness ”When shall I start?”

She laughed