iting."

She looked at him. Her face was quivering. "I've had--a hell of a time,"
she said pathetically. "Been here hours--thought you'd never come. Your
man--your man said I wasn't to disturb you."

"Damn the fool!" said Saltash.

She broke into a breathless laugh. "That's--that's just what I said. But
I thought--I thought perhaps--you'd rather--rather I waited." She
shivered suddenly. "I don't like this place. Can you take me somewhere
else?"

He bent lower, put his hand under her elbow and helped her to her
feet. She came up from the couch with a spring, and stood before him,
half-daring and half-shy.

Saltash kept his hold upon her arm, and turned her towards the wall
beside the tall mantel-piece. She went with him readily enough, watching,
eager-eyed, as he stretched his free hand up to the oak panelling.

"Now I'm going to find out all your secrets!" she said boyishly.

"Not quite all," said Saltash.

There came the click of a spring and the panel slid to one side, leaving
a long, narrow opening before them. Toby glanced up at him and, with a
small, nestling movement, slipped within the circle of his arm. It
tightened upon her in an instant, and she laughed again, a quivering,
exultant laugh.

"I'm glad you've come," she said.

They paused on the edge of darkness, but there was no hesitation about
Toby. She was all athrill with expectancy. Then in a flash the room
before them was illuminated, and they entered.

It was a strange chamber, panelled, built in the shape of a cone. A glass
dome formed its roof, and there was no window besides. The lights were
cunningly concealed behind a weirdly coloured fresco of Oriental figures.
But one lamp alone on a small table burned with a still red glow. This
lamp was supported on the stuffed skin of a hooded cobra.

Toby's eyes were instantly drawn towards it. They shone with excitement.
Again she glanced up at the man beside her.

"What a wonderful place!"

"Better than the music-room?" suggested Saltash.

"Oh, yes, far better." Her shining eyes sought his. "It might be your
cabin on the yacht."

He stretched a hand behind him and again the spring clicked. Then he drew
her forward. They trod on tiger skins. Everywhere were tiger skins, on
the floor and on a deep low settee by the table which was the only other
furniture the room possessed. Toby was clinging to the arm that held her,
clinging very closely. There was unspoken entreaty in her hold. For there