reetings, complaints of the
heat, and comparisons of engagements, followed the inevitable question--

"Who is Miss Rossetti?"

"I beg your pardon?"

"Your friend in the stalls. The girl with the wonderful hair?"

"She's an American--a Miss Briskett. Over from the States on a short
visit. I met her lately down in the country, and we happened to strike
the same week for a visit to town."

"Lucky for you! I've been admiring her all night. That hair and skin,
and the glittering black-green frock! Quite bewitching! Where is she
staying?"

"At the Ritz, with some people she met coming over. She knows no one
over here."

The good lady's interest appeased, she turned back to the stage,
fluttering her fan to and fro. Attracted by its movement, or by the
glances focussed upon her, Cornelia tilted her head upwards, recognised
Guest, and whispered to her companion. Mr Moffatt's eyes travelled
obediently towards the box, to fasten, not on Guest but on the man by
his side. For a moment they widened in unmistakable recognition,
before, of set purpose, as it were, they grew blank and lifeless. He
bowed slightly to Guest, and turned back to the stage.

The man by Guest's side laughed drily, and followed him out into the
corridor.

"Look here, Guest," he said shortly, "if that girl is a friend of yours,
and is staying in a hotel here with those people, you'd better advise
her to get away as soon as possible! That man's a bad egg. I ran up
against him in Marienbad last year. He and his wife made the hotel too
hot to hold them, and were politely requested to leave. There was
nothing definite proved, but too many shady things to be pleasant. He
had an extraordinary facility for winning at cards, and the fair Mrs
Schuter--by the way her hair was brown at that time--"

"These people are called Moffatt! Perhaps you are mistaking them for
somebody else!" Guest interrupted eagerly: but he knew the futility of
his hope before he heard the reply.

"No doubt they have half a dozen aliases! What does it matter what they
choose to call themselves. You saw for yourself that the man recognised
me just now. Sorry to interfere, you know, and all that, but I'd be
nailing sorry to leave any girl I knew in such a caravansary. Thought I
ought to tell you!"

"Thanks very much! You are perfectly right. I'll send her off to-
morrow," said Guest, firmly. As he walked down the steps again he was
smouldering with fury, wit