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In that instant Carl knew that the Houdanian had furtively followed the camp of the traders into the wilds of the Everglades, spurred on by the fierce command of Ronador. But he did not move. A terrible apathy made him indifferent to the knife of the assassin. He had had his day of masterful torment back there in the attic of the farm, he told himself. Now he must pay.

A branch swept his cap back from his forehead and Philip saw now that his face was white and staring. And in that instant as he glanced at the horrified face of the Houdanian, Philip knew. The stained skin, the smooth-shaven chin and lip of the minstrel if Themar had found them puzzling, the revealment had come to him, as it had come to Philip, in a flash of bewilderment.

Philip, about to close it, fancied he heard the stealthy rustle of paper beyond and swung it noiselessly back, halting in silent interest upon the threshold. Themar, the Baron's Houdanian valet, was intently transcribing upon his shirt-cuff, the contents of a paper which lay uppermost in the drawer of a small portable desk. Catlike, Philip stole across the room.

"Of my interest, assuredly!" admitted Philip. "My compliance," he added fairly, "depends, of course, upon the nature of the mission." "It is absurdly simple," said the Houdanian suavely. "Merely to discover whether or not the nomadic lady feels any exceptional interest in Houdania.

"Curvilinear grace is all very well but " "Shut up!" said Sherrill viciously. "Have you ever met this king-pin I'm exploiting?" "I've seen him," said Car. "Once when he was riding up the mountain road to Houdania with a brilliant escort and one er other time. Think I told you I'd spent a month or so in a Houdanian monastery several years ago, didn't I, Dick?" "Yes," said Dick. "That's why I asked.