The Spectator., 1915-04-02
CHAPTER xll-Continued.


 Elsa strengthened her lips with some difficulty. She possessed the enviable faculty of instantly forming in her mind pictures of coming events. The little swelling veins in the colonel's nose were as plain ito her minds eye as If he really stood before her. Have gested.
 "Just what was thinking of," de- cfared the unsuspecting man. "If any one can draw out the colonel. 1t will be you"
 "rll do my best" Elsa's mind was full of rollicking malice.
 'Contemplatively he said: "So you've been doing the Orient alone? You are like your father in that way. He was never afraid of anything. Your men, tal makeup. too. I'll wager, is like his. Finest man in the world"
 Wasn't he? How l wish he could have always been with me! But why is 1t, everyone seems appalled, that l should travel over here without male escort?"
 The answer lies in your mirror, Elsa. Your old nurse Martha is no real protection"
 Are men so bad, then?"
 "They are less restrained. The heat, the tremendous distances. the lack of amusements, are perhaps responsible 'S3y the way. here's packet of letters for you"
 Thanks" Elsa played with the packet. somberly eying the superscrip- . tions. The old disorder came back in to her mind. Three of the letters were from Arthur. She dreaded to opea them. T must be going, then I'm not sure of my tickets to Hong kong"
 rGo straight to the German Lloyd office. I'll have my boy show you the way. Chong!" he called. A bright eyed young Chinese came in quickly "Show lady German Lloyd office All same quick"
 In the outer office she paused for a moment or so to look at the maga zines and weeklies from home. The Chinese boy, grinning pleasantly. peered curiously at Elsa's beautiful hands. She heard someone enter and quite naturally glanced up. The new conner was Mallow. He stared at her. smiled familiarly and lifted his helmet.
 Elsa, with cold unfiickering eyes, of fered his greeting no recognition what. ever. The man felt that she was look ing through him, inside of him, search ing out all the dark corners of his soul. He dropped his gaze. confused. Then Elsa calmly turned to the boy.
 Come. tChong."
 There was something in the manner of her exit that infinitely puzzled him. It was the iinsalence of the well-hred. but he did not know it. To offset his chagrin and confusion, he put on his helmet and passed into the private of ice. She WAS out of his range of un- derstanding.
 Mallow was aa American by birth but had grown up in the Orient. hand lily. In his youth he had been beaten and trampled upon. and now that he had become rich tn copra (the dried Kernels of cocoanuts from which oil is made). he in his turn beat and trampled. It was the only law he knew. Ordinarily. when in Penang and Singapore. he behaved himself, drank circumspectly and summed promiscu- ous companions. But when he did drink heartily. he was a man to be- ware of.
 He hailed the consul general cordial. ly and offered him one of his really choice cigars. which was accepted.
 T say. who was that young woman who just went out?"
 The consul general laid down the cigar. The question itself was harm. less enough; 1t was Mallow's way of clothing 1t he resented. "Whyf" he asked
 "She's . sumner. Just curious if you knew her. that's all We came down on the same boat Hanged if | shouldn't like to meet her. Do you know herr" eagerly.
 T do. More than that. have al. vAsys known her. She is the daughter of the late General Chetwood, one of the greatest civil engineers of our time. When he died hs left her sev- oral milhons. She is . remarkable young wouscn. a famous beauty. known pavorably in European courts. and