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"I'm just ever so grateful," she declared.
On the stairs she met a tall capable looking woman who was carrying a glass containing a yellow foamy liquid.
"Well, Miss Bowers, so you're off to Europe?" "Why, yes, Mrs. Robson." "What a lovely trip!"
"Why, yes, I should think it would be very enjoyable."
"But you've been abroad before?"
"Oh yes, Mrs. Robson. I went over to Pis with Miss Van Schuyler last Fall.
But I've never been to Egypt before."
Mrs. Robson hesitated.
"I do hopc there won't be any-trouble."
She had lowered her voice.
Miss Bowers, however, replied in her usual tone.
"Oh, no, Mrs. Robson, I shall take good care of that. I keep a very sharp look out always."
But there was still a faint shadow on Mrs. continued down the stairs.
Robson's face as she slowly
In his office down town Mr. Andrew Pe
Suddenly his fist clenched itself and came down on his desk with a bang, his face crimsoned and two big veins stood out on his forehead.
He pressed a buzzer on his desk and a smart-looking stenographer appeared with commendable promptitude.
"Tell Mr. Rockford to step in here." "Yes, Mr. Pe
"What's up, Pe
He said: "Li
"How? When? Why didn't we hear about it?"
Pe
"She wasn't married when she wrote this letter, but she's married now.
Morning of the 4th. That's today." Rockford dropped into a chair.
"Whew! No warning? Nothing? Who's the man?"
Pe
"Doyle. Simon Doyle." "What sort of a fellow is he? Ever heard of him?" "No. She doesn't say much… "He sca
"This needs a bit of thinking out," he said quietly.
"What are we going to do about it?" "I'm asking you." The two men sat silent.
Then Rockford said: "Got any plan?" Pe
"What about 'em? Surely you're not going over to tackle 'em? You're mad!" "I'm not suggesting you-or I-should go to England." "What's the big idea, then?" Pe
"Li
"Egypt-eh?"
Rockford considered. Then he looked up and met the other's glance.
"Egypt," he Said, "that's your idea!"
"Yes-a chance meeting. Over on a trip. Li
Roelfford said doubtfully:
"She's sharp, Li
Pe
"I think there might be ways of-managing it." Again their eyes met.
Rockford nodded.
"All right, big boy." Pe
"We'll have to hustle-whichever of us is going."
"You go," said Rockford promptly. "You always made a hit with Li
Pe
He said:
"I hope I can pull it off.'
His partner said:
"You've got to pull it off. The situation's critical… " xi William Carmichael said to the thin weedy youth who opened the door inquiringly:
"Send Mr. Jim to me, please."
Jim Fanthorp entered the room and looked inquiringly at his uncle. The older man looked up with a nod and a grunt.
"Humph, there you are." "You asked for me?"
"Just cast an eye over this."
The young man sat down and drew the sheaf of papers towards him. The elder man watched him.
"Well?"
The answer came promptly.
"Looks fishy to me, sir."
Again the senior partner of Carmichael, Grant amp; Carmichael uttered his characteristic grunt.
Jim Fanthorp re-read the letter which had just arrived by Air Mail from Egypt.
"… It seems wicked to be writing business letters on such a day. We have spent a week at Mena House and made an expedition to the Fayum. The day after tomorrow we are going up the Nile to Luxor and Assuan by stearaer, and perhaps on to Khartoum. When we went into Cook's this morning to see about our tickets who do you think was the first person I saw-my American trustee Andrew Pe
As the young man was about to turn the page, Mr. Carmichael took the letter from him.
"That's all," he said. "The rest doesn't matter. Well, what do you think?" His nephew considered for a moment-then he said: "Well-I think-not a coincidence…" The other nodded approval.
"Like a trip to Egypt?" he barked out.
"You think that's advisable?" "I think there's no time to lose." "But why me?" "Use your brains, boy, use your brains. Li
Mrs. Otterbourne, readjusting the turban of native material that she wore draped round her head, said fretfully: "I really don't see why we shouldn't go on to Egypt. I'm sick and tired of Jerusalemi" As her daughter made no reply, she said: "You might at least answer when you're spoken to." Rosalie Otterbourne was looking at a newspaper reproduction of a face. Below it was written:
"Mrs. Simon Doyle, who before her marriage was the well-known society beauty, Miss Li
Rosalie said: "You'd like to move on to Egypt, Mother?" "Yes, I would," Mrs. Otterbourne snapped. "I consider they've treated us in a most cavalier fashion here. My being here is an advertisement-I ought to get a special reduction in terms. When I hinted as much I consider they were most impertinent-most impertinent. I told them exactly what I thought of them." The girl sighed. She said: "One place is very like another. I wish we could get right away."
"And this morning," went on Mrs. Otterbourne, "the manager actually had the impertinence to tell me that all the rooms had been booked in advance and that he would require ours in two days' time."
"So we've got to go somewhere."
"Not at all. I'm quite prepared to fight for my rights."
Rosalie murmured: "I suppose we might as well go on to Egypt. It doesn't make any difference."
"It's certainly not a matter of life or death," said Mrs. Otterbourne.
But there she was quite wrong-for a matter of life and death was exactly what it was.