f-humorous dryness.

"Do you mean that you wish me to try and keep Mrs. Heath to dinner?"
said Alston, with bland formality.

"She might cheer you up. You might cheer each other up."

At this point in the conversation Crayford allowed a faint smile to
distort slightly one corner of his mouth.

Charmian did come down from Mustapha in Crayford's big yellow car. She
was in a state of great excitement.

"O Alston!" she exclaimed, "where are we going? What a man he is when it
comes to business! He simply packed me off. I have never been treated in
such a way before. We've got hours and hours to fill up somehow. I feel
almost as if I were waiting to be told on what day I am to be
guillotined, like a French criminal. How will Claude get on with him?
Just think of those two shut in together!"

As Alston got into the car she repeated:

"Where are we going?"

"_Allez au Diable!_" said Alston to Crayford's chauffeur, who was a
Frenchman.

"_Bien, m'sieu!_"

"And--" Alston pulled out his watch. "You must take at least seven hours
to get there."

"_Tres bien, m'sieu._"

"That's a cute fellow," said Alston to Charmian, as they drove off.
"Knows how to time things!"

It was evening when they returned to the hotel, dusty and tired.

"You'll dine with me, Mrs. Charmian!" said Alston.

"Oh, no; I must go home now. I can't wait any longer."

"Better dine with me."

She took off her big motor veil, and looked at him.

"Did Mr. Crayford say I was to dine with you?"

"No. But he evidently thought it would be a suitable arrangement."

"But what will people think?"

"What they always do, I suppose."

"Yes, but what's that?"

"I've wondered for years!"

He held out his big hand. Charmian yielded and got out of the car.

At ten o'clock Crayford had not reappeared, and she insisted on
returning home.

"I can't stay out all night even for an impresario," she said.

Alston agreed, and they went out to the front door to get a carriage.

"Of course I'll see you home, Mrs. Charmian."

"Yes, you may."

As they drove off she exclaimed:

"That man really is a terror, Alston, or should I say a holy terror? Do
you know, I feel almost guilty in daring to venture back to my own
house."

"Maybe we'll meet him on the way up."

"If we do be sure you stop the carriage."

"But if he doesn't stop his?"

"Then I'll stop it. Keep a sharp look-out. I'm tired, but oh! I do feel
so excited. You look out all the time on yo