"On the other side is the palace of another man, and on the other
side of that, ending the road is a _cimitère_--what you say,
cemetery."

"And back of _that_ wall?" She nodded at the one behind the palms,
running parallel to the banquet hall.

"Back of that a canal, Mademoiselle, and across are other
palaces.... You study the geography, it appears?"

"Indeed I do!" She turned towards him, her face bright with
eagerness. Her light curls were blown about her forehead by a
breeze, hot and dry, that seemed to mingle the odors of the desert
with a piercing sweetness which it drew from the deep throats of the
lilies swaying beside the path. "And I think _that_ is going to be
the way out for me." Her quick nod was for the wall behind the
palms. "I want you to do me a great big favor, Captain Kerissen,
that will make me your debtor for life! You must help me break out
of this quarantine this very night?"

Not the ghost of a fear of failure to persuade him lurked in those
bright, dancing eyes. Not the ghost of a fear of failure haunted
those confident, smiling lips.

He sucked on his cigarette a moment, then slowly blew a thin ring of
blue smoke. He appeared interested in watching it.

"What is it--this idea?" he murmured.