wish you would cut it off," she answered. "I should
like to see what you look like."

She turned and walked away, and the more Dunn thought over this
conversation, the less he felt he understood it.

What had she meant by that strange start and look she had given him
when she had asked if she were to be the next? And when she asserted so
confidently that she knew what was in the packing-case, was that true,
or was she speaking under some mistaken impression, or had she wished to
deceive him?

The more he thought, the more disturbed he felt, and every hour that
passed he seemed to feel more and more strongly the influence of her
gracious beauty, the horror of his suspicions of her.

The next day Clive came again, and again Ella seemed very pleased to see
him, and again Dunn, hanging about in their vicinity, watched gloomily
their friendly intercourse.

That Clive was in love with Ella seemed fairly certain; at any rate,
he showed himself strongly attracted by her, and very eager for her
company.

How she felt was more doubtful, though she made no concealment of the
fact that she liked to see him, and found pleasure in having him there.
Dunn, moving about near at hand, was aware of an odd impression that she
knew he was watching them, and that she wished him to do so for several
times he saw her glance in his direction.

He could always move with a most extraordinary lightness of foot, so
that, big and clumsy as he seemed in build, he could easily go unheard
and even unseen, and John Clive seemed to have little idea that he
remained so persistently near at hand.

This gift or power of Dunn's he had acquired in far-off lands,
where life may easily depend on the snapping of a twig or the right
interpretation of a trampled grass-blade, and he was using it now,
almost unconsciously, so as to make his presence near Ella and Clive as
unobtrusive as possible, when his keen eye caught sight of a bush, of
which leaves and branches were moving against the wind.

For that he knew there could be but one explanation, and when he walked
round, so as to get behind this bush, he was not surprised to see Deede
Dawson crouching there, his eyes very intent and eager, his unsmiling
lips drawn back to show his white teeth in a threatening grin or snarl.

Near by him was his little chess-board and men, and as Dunn came up
behind he looked round quickly and saw him.

For a moment his eyes were deadly and his hand dropped to his
h