"If you ask me such questions," said I, "I'll leave you with the luggage
in charge of Rogers. I am in resplendent health."

She murmured that she wished she could believe me, and took my arm as we
walked down the jetty to the waiting cab.

"It's good to hear your voice again," I said. "It's a lazy voice and
fits in with the lazy South." I pointed to the burnous-enveloped Arabs
sleeping on the parapet. "It's out of place in Cadogan Gardens."

She laughed her low, rippling laugh. It was music very pleasant to hear
after the somewhat shrill cachinnation of the Misses Bostock of South
Shields. I was so pleased that I gave half a franc to a pestilential
Arab shoeblack.

"That was nice of you," she said.

"It was the act of an imbecile," I retorted. "I have now rendered it
impossible for me to enter the town again. How is Dale?"

She started. "He's well. Busy with his election. I saw him the day
before I left. I didn't tell him I was coming to Algiers. I wrote from
Paris."

"Telling him the reason?"

She faced me and met my eyes and said shortly: "No."

"Oh!" said I.

This brought us to the cab. We entered and drove away. Then leaning back
and looking straight in front of her, she grasped my wrist and said:

"Now, my dear friend, tell me all and get it over."

"My dear Madame Brandt--" I began.

She interrupted me. "For goodness' sake don't call me that. It makes a
cold shiver run down my back. I'm either Lola to you or nothing."

"Then, my dear Lola," said I, "the first thing I must tell you is that I
did not send for you."

"What do you mean? The telegram?"

"It was sent by Anastasius Papadopoulos."

"Anastasius?" She bent forward and looked at me. "What is he doing
here?"

"Heaven knows!" said I. "But what he has done has been to find Captain
Vauvenarde. I am glad he has done that, but I am deeply sorry he sent
you the telegram."

"Sorry? Why?"

"Because there was no reason for your coming," I said with unwonted
gravity. "It would have been better if you had stayed in London, and it
will be best if you take the boat back again to-morrow."

She remained silent for a while. Then she said in a low voice:

"He won't have me?"

"He hasn't been asked," I said. "He will, as far as I can command the
situation, never be asked."

On that I had fully determined; and, when she inquired the reason, I
told her.

"I proposed that you should reunite yourself with an honourable though
somewhat misguide