from the shock of the overturned lamp. She held out her
hand, for the first time; and as Derrick took it, he felt it tremble
under the pressure of his.

"You sent for me, your Excellency?" he said.

"Yes," she answered in a low voice, as she waved him to a chair which
had been placed, either accidentally or by her orders, near her. "I have
arrived at a decision--about--the machinery. I wish you to go to England
for it."

Derrick could not repress a start, and he stared at her, somewhat
aghast.

"Want me to go----?" he said, changing colour. "But I'm afraid--have you
forgotten what I told you about--about the trouble of the cheque?"

"No, I have not forgotten," she said, in the same low voice. "I do not
think you have any need to fear. I think that you were unwise to fly
England. And yet I am glad; for--for, if you had not done so, I should
not--you would not have come here."

"I'm glad enough that I did come here, your Excellency," said Derrick,
warmly. "And I shall be very sorry to leave you, putting aside this
question of my safety."

"You will be quite safe, or I would not ask you to go. I have been
thinking over your story. I have not always lived in this out-of-the-way
part of the world. I have had experience; and I see more clearly than
you. I do not think you would have been prosecuted. They are clever,
these lawyers, and they would have got the truth out of you. A word or a
look on your part would have given them the clue. Besides, this other
man; they would have questioned him, and he would have exposed himself."

"That's true enough; that's what I told Heyton----" began Derrick; in
his eagerness, unwittingly letting slip Heyton's name, as he had the
other evening let slip his own. He broke off and looked down, biting his
lip. If he had still kept his eyes on the face of the woman beside him,
he could not have failed to see the sudden change which came to that
face, the expression of amazement, of fear, of intense excitement. She
did not speak, she did not utter a word, but her lips writhed and her
thin, long white hands closed and opened spasmodically.

"I'm sorry," muttered Derrick, regretfully, and frowning at his boots.
"The name slipped out before I knew it." He laughed ruefully. "It seems
as if I were unable to conceal anything from you."

"There is no cause for fear," she said in a tremulous voice. "You may
speak to me as you would to a father confessor; as you would to
a--mother."

"Oh, I