ng and squealing.

Then "Fatalite" was called to the rescue as being the only one among
them capable of managing horseflesh.

When not required in her office of peacemaker she was sent on in front
as guide to the procession, dressed in her boy's disguise and astride
the most vicious of the mules. These excursions meant less rest for
her than ever for the party seldom returned till five o'clock in the
morning.

Emile had told her that she must get her sleep up in the hut.

"You have two hours to yourself," he said. "You can't sleep up there?
Nonsense! Make up your mind to do it and then you will."

The building in question, which was more like an outhouse than anything
else, she had christened, "The Black Hole of Calcutta." The upper
part, which was approached by a ladder as a loft would be, was used as
a meeting-room, while the ground floor became a temporary stable for
the horses and mules, of which she was left in charge. Since the scene
in that upper room in the Calle de Pescadores she had put herself
outside all consideration; and Sobrenski now excluded her from all work
other than the merest drudgery. Vardri was also kept under
surveillance. It was felt by all that in some quarter treachery lurked
as yet undiscovered, and every man suspected his comrades. There were
indications that someone, hitherto a sworn ally of the Cause, had
turned spy and sold certain information to the authorities.

Even Sobrenski's iron nerves were stretched to breaking point.

The rest tried to drown anxiety in _absinthe_, and all grew daily more
morose and uncertain of temper.

The first sensation came in the shape of a rumour that Count Vladimir's
companion, Pauline Souvaroff, had disappeared.

Only three people knew that she had vanished utterly and completely on
the same day that she had received a communication from the leader.
The note had been brought to her by Vladimir himself. He could guess
at its contents, but Pauline had revealed nothing.

Two hours afterwards when he went on shore she was shut up in her
cabin, and he had not interrupted her, thinking she was asleep. When
he returned, and found her door unlocked, and her cabin empty, a
suspicion of the truth occurred to him.

Everything was left in perfect order, but there was no letter, no word
of explanation. He questioned the crew, and heard that she had been
rowed to shore by two of them soon after he left. She had given the
men orders not to wait,