Anna the Adventuress

"I shall send for a policeman," Anna said, "directly my maid answers

the bell--unless you choose to go before."

The man made no attempt to recover the revolver. He walked unsteadily

towards the door.

"Very well," he said, "I will go. But," and he faced them both with a

still expressionless glance, "this is not the end!"

* * * * * Anna recovered her spirits with marvellous facility. It was Ennison

who for the rest of his visit was quiet and subdued.

"You are absurd," she declared. "It was unpleasant while it lasted,

but it is over--and my toasted scones are delicious. Do have another."

"It is over for now," he answered, "but I cannot bear to think that

you are subject to this sort of thing."

She shrugged her shoulders slightly. Some of the delicate colour which

the afternoon walk had brought into her cheeks had already returned.

"It is an annoyance, my friend," she said, "not a tragedy."

"It might become one," he answered. "The man is dangerous."

She looked thoughtfully into the fire.

"I am afraid," she said, "that he must have a skeleton key to these

rooms. If so I shall have to leave."

"You cannot play at hide-and-seek with this creature all your life,"

he answered. "Let your friends act for you. There must be ways of

getting rid of him."

"I am afraid," she murmured, "that it would be difficult. He really

deserves a better fate, does he not? He is so beautifully persistent."

He drew a little nearer to her. The lamp was not yet lit, and in the

dim light he bent forward as though trying to look into her averted

face. He touched her hand, soft and cool to his fingers--she turned at

once to look at him. Her eyes were perhaps a little brighter than

usual, the firelight played about her hair, there seemed to him to be

a sudden softening of the straight firm mouth. Nevertheless she

withdrew her hand.

"Let me help you," he begged. "Indeed, you could have no more faithful

friend, you could find no one more anxious to serve you."

Her hand fell back into her lap. He touched it again, and this time it

was not withdrawn.

"That is very nice of you," she said. "But it is so difficult----"

"Not at all," he answered eagerly. "I wish you would come and see my

lawyers. Of course I know nothing of what really did happen in

Paris--if even you ever saw him there. You need not tell me, but a

lawyer is different. His client's story is safe with him. He would

advise you how to get rid of the fellow."

"I will think of it," she promised.

"You must do more than think of it," he urged. "It is intolerable that

you should be followed about by such a creature. I am sure that he can

be got rid of."