r generosity must be on its
guard, he placed his hand on your shoulder, quite familiarly it seemed
to me."

"Well," said the choking Cleo, "why should he not? I have slept with my
head on his chest on a rock and I have stabbed a man who was trying to
kill him. Between us we fought a whole crowd of Chinamen. He had a
harpoon and I had a knife and we beat them and took their ship. Do you
mind having the window a wee bit open? I feel rather faint."

"That's better," said she to the speechless other ones, "I'm so used to
fresh air that I can't bear to be closed in."

"But my dear Cleo," suddenly broke out the old lady, "what do you intend
to do with him?"

"Do with him? Nothing. He's my friend, that's all. Ah, here we are."

The car had drawn up in the courtyard of the Hotel.

CHAPTER XXXVI

THE LEPER

Dejeuner had been prepared for the party in a private room, a big room,
for there were twelve guests all told, including not only Cleo's friends
but the business men, and the friends of Prince Selm.

But before thinking of dejeuner or anything else she had to see about
Raft.

She left him standing in the hall whilst she interviewed the manager.

Actually, the business would have been easier for her had she brought
with her an animal, even of the largest pattern. The manager, when he
had caught a glimpse of the intended guest, revolted; not openly, it is
true, but with genuflexions and outstretching of hands.

Where could this man be put, what could be done with him? The valets and
ladies' maids would certainly not eat with him, the visitors would
object to his presence in the lounge, the servants in the servants'
quarters. He was a common sailor man. Heavens! What a problem that
manager had to face, something quite new, quite illogical, yet quite
logical. He had heard of the wreck of the _Gaston_ and he was as
interested in Cleo as a hotel manager could be. He understood the whole
case when she told him that Raft had saved her life; he was a man of
broad mind, but he knew intimately the mental make up of his servants,
his visitors and their servants. He discussed the matter with Cleo quite
openly and she saw the reason of all he said. Raft was "impossible" in
that hotel. His heroism did not count a bit; it did with the manager who
would not have to sit at table with him, it did not with the waiters and
valets and ladies' maids who would have to associate with him, or the
guests whose eyes would be offen