wn and burst out laughing.

"Well, you are a deep one," she said, when her laughter was ended, and
she observed that Mrs. Vane was regarding her rather angrily; "if you'll
excuse me for saying so, ma'am, but you are the very deepest one I ever
came across! And you don't look it one bit!"

"I suppose you mean both of these assertions for compliments," said
Flossy. "If so you need not trouble to make them again. This is a
business matter. Will you undertake it, or will you not?"

"When?"

"To-night."

"To-night! When he comes in to tea? Well, is it safe?"

"You mean the drug? Perfectly safe. He will never know that he has had
it. It will keep him sound asleep for a couple of hours at least. During
that time I do not think that thunder itself would wake him."

"You've tried it before, I'll warrant?" said Sabina half questioningly,
half admiringly.

"Yes," said Flossy placidly, "I have tried it before." She took a little
bottle of greenish glass from the small morocco bag which she carried in
her hand, and held it up to the light. "There are two doses in it," she
said. "Don't use it all at once. A drop or two more or less does not
matter; you need not be afraid of making it a little too strong. It is
colorless and tasteless. Can you manage it?"

Sabina considered.

"If I put it into the tea-pot, it might be wasted; he might not drink
all the tea. He never lets me pour it out for him. Would it alter the
look of the milk?"

"Not at all."

"Then I could put it into his cream-jug, and give him so little that
he's sure to use it all and ring for more. He likes a deal of milk in
his tea."

"Then you will do it, Sabina?"

Again Sabina hesitated. Finally she said, with sudden decision--

"Give me that twenty pound, and then I will."

"Not until you have earned it."

"If I don't have it beforehand, I won't do it at all," said Sabina
doggedly.

Mrs. Vane shrugged her shoulders slightly, opened her bag, and put the
little bottle back into its place.

"You said you could trust me; show me that you can," said Sabina,
unmoved by this pantomime. "One of us will have to trust the other. I
may do it, and then--who knows?--you may back out of the bargain."

"Did I ever 'back out of a bargain,' as you coarsely express it? I
think, Sabina, I have trusted you a good deal already."

"Well, split the difference," said Sabina roughly. "Give me ten down on
the nail, and ten when I've done the work. I dare say I can manag