as an amorous woman! Then you see another woman on the scene, and
though she's nothing but a stray visitor at the Plaza where you help
wash up the plates and dishes, you suddenly conceive a lot of
romantic foolery in your head and imagine me to be mysteriously
connected with her! Oh, for God's sake don't cry! It's the most
awful bore! There's nothing to cry for. You've set me up like a sort
of doll in a shrine and you want to worship me--well!--I simply
won't be worshipped. As for your 'little wonderful white woman
sweetly perfumed like a rose,' I don't mind saying that I know her.
And I don't mind also telling you that she came up the hill last
night to ferret me out."

Step by step Manella drew nearer, her eyes blazing.

"She went to see you?--She did THAT!--In the darkness?--like a thief
or a serpent!"

He laughed aloud.

"No thief and no serpent in it!" he said--"And no darkness, but in
the full light of the moon! Such a moon it was, too! A regular stage
moon! A perfect setting for such an actress, in her white gown and
her rope of gold hair! Yes--it was very well planned!--effective in
its way, though it left me cold!"

"Ah, but it did NOT leave you cold!" cried Manella; "Else you would
not have come down to see her to-day! You say she went 'to ferret
you out'--"

"Of course she did"--he interrupted her--"She would ferret out any