t that at all. He just doesn't trust us. He trusts
nobody!"

"But that hardly seems fair to us..." began Desmond.

"It's merely a precaution," replied Barbara, "the Chief takes no
risks. I've not the least doubt that he has decided to tell you
nothing whatsoever about your part until you are firmly settled
in your new role. I'm perfectly certain that every detail of your
part has already been worked out."

"Oh, that's not possible," said Desmond. "Why, he didn't know
until an hour ago that I was going to take on this job."

Barbara laughed.

"The Chief has taught me a lot about judging men by their looks,"
she said: "Personally, if I'd been in the Chief's places I should
have gone ahead without consulting you, too."

The girl spoke with such directness that there was not the least
suggestion of a compliment in her remark, but Desmond blushed to
the roots of his hair. Barbara noticed it and added hastily:

"I'm not trying to pay you a compliment: I'm just judging by your
type. I believe I can always tell the man that will take on any
job, however dangerous, and carry it through to the end."

Desmond blushed more furiously than ever.

He made haste to divert the conversation into a safer channel.

"Well," he said slowly, "seeing that you and I were intended to
work together, it seems to me to be a most extraordinary
coincidence our meeting like that last night..."

"It was more than a coincidence," said Barbara, shaking her dark
brown head. "Forty-eight hours ago I'd never heard of you, then
the Chief gave me a telegram to send to your Divisional General
summoning you home, after that he told me that we were to work
together, and a few hours later I run into you in Nur-el-Din's
dressing-room..."

She broke off suddenly, her gray eyes big with fear. She darted
across the room to an ormolu table on which her handbag was
lying. With astonishment, Desmond watched her unceremoniously
spill out the contents on to the table and rake hastily amongst
the collection of articles which a pretty girl carries round in
her bag.

Presently she raised herself erect and turning, faced the
officer. She was trembling as though with cold and when she
spoke, her voice was low and husky.

"Gone!" she whispered.

"Have you lost anything" Desmond asked anxiously.

"How could I have forgotten it?" she went on as though he had not
spoken, "how could I have forgotten it? Nearly twelve hours
wasted, and it explains everything.