landlord should know of my departure. You may bring all my trunks
on. I will be waiting for you at the 'Vittorio Emmanuele' at
Brindisi. Please do telegraph to me from Turin of your arrival."

Cool globe-trotter as he was, Alan Hawke was speechless. "Shall I
not see you safely on board the Constance train?" he muttered.

"The nurse will attend to all that; money will do a great deal,"
the lady said. "I will send her back from Constance. Please do
ring the bell." The Major was obedient, and he listened in dumb
astonishment, as Madame Louison ordered a very dainty supper for two,
with a bottle of Burgundy and a well-iced flask of Veuve Cliquot.
When the door had closed upon the gaping servant, the lady merrily
laughed:

"Pray take up your sinews of war, Major. I shall consider you as
retained in my service, if I am obeyed."

Alan Hawke turned and faced the puzzling "employer" with a half
defiant question: "And when shall I know the real nature of my
duties?" as he carefully folded up the welcome bundle of notes,
without even looking at them.

"Major, you are not an homme d'affaires. Do me the favor to count
your money," laughed the mocking convalescent. "Thank you," continued
the lady as he obeyed her. "Now I will only detain you here till
ten o'clock. Then you must disappear and not know me again until
we meet at the Hotel Vittorio Emmanuele at Brindisi. Should any
accident occur, you are to take the Sepoy for Bombay direct and go
on to Delhi. Leave me a letter at Suez and also one at Aden, care