AN IMPORTANT DISCOVERY
The Shah's Rooms were the latest sensation of frivolous London, and had lasted for six months with undiminished success. The building contained a number of rooms, and entertainments to suit all classes. There was a variety theatre with three performances daily, bars without number, billiard tables, lawn-tennis courts, a sawdust football ground, a motor and bicycle track, and a large hall for wrestling and boxing. But the glory of the Shah's Rooms was The Desert, as the conception was original and excellently carried out by clever workmen and designers.
This was a vast expanse of real sand, covering several acres, and bounded on all sides by painted scenery of tropical sky and arid rocks, and occasional cities, and one or two pyramids. Here and there was an oasis of palms with real grass and real trees and real water, and with spotlessly white supper tents erected for the accommodation of gay parties. Caravans of camels and horses and donkeys took bands of pleasure-seekers from oasis to oasis, or into the desert itself, to dine at one of the Bedouin encampments. For entertainment, there were mirages, skilfully managed with magic-lanterns, and forays of wild Arabs. Story-tellers relating the "Arabian Nights" could be hired, singers could be obtained, dancing girls could be engaged, and eastern fortune-tellers were frequently employed to read the future by means of sand diagrams. It was all very new and very amusing, and very fantastical, so it was little wonder that the Shah's Rooms were crowded nightly. They would be deserted when the novelty wore off, but just now fashionable London was delighted with a sham life in a sham East.
Anthony and Clarice arrived about nine o'clock, and went at once to the great dancing saloon, where a masked ball was in progress. Clarice had again assumed Ferdy's evening dress, and Ackworth was astonished to see how closely she resembled her brother, when tricked out in masculine attire. As Anthony knew much more of the ways and means of midnight London than was good for him, he had taken Clarice to a costumier's shop in Drury Lane, and there they had procured the necessary dominos for their adventure. That of Ackworth was merely one of black silk, plain and unpretentious, but Clarice wore a red cloak with a bunch of loose white ribbons on the breast, so that Osip might recognise her. Gazing at the dancers and dresses, the two looked vainly for the purple domino with gold stars, but such a costume was nowhere to be seen. Then Clarice reminded her companion that the meeting was to take place in the Desert, so hither they bent their steps, and, pending the arrival of Osip, they partook of a hasty supper. Both were hungry, for the hurry of getting up from the country had left them no time to eat.
"What am I to do when Osip comes for you?" asked Anthony.
"Remain here," answered Clarice, looking round. "I won't go out of sight, I promise you."
"If you do, I shall follow," said Ackworth, resolutely. "I am not going to let you remain alone with a known murderer. And I have brought this!"
Clarice looked sideways, and saw that he was holding a heavy army revolver under the folds of his domino. "You won't require to use it," she said, hastily. "If Osip means anything by asking for this meeting with Ferdy, it is, that he wishes to escape. He will, therefore, not try to hurt me in any way."
"You can't trust such a scoundrel," said Ackworth, quietly, "and if you go out of sight I follow--remember that."
They were seated under a tent on the extreme verge of the Desert, and between them was a small Turkish table, upon which stood a tray heaped with Eastern food. When the coffee came it was close upon ten o'clock, and Anthony lighted a cigarette; also he offered one to Clarice, who took it, smiling.