Anthony glanced at his watch. "It wants two minutes to ten," he remarked, quickly. "We had better go to the Omar Khayyám palm."
"I go alone," said Clarice, hastily. "If he"--she did not mention the name--"sees me with you, he won't address me. Where is the palm you speak of?"
"In the central oasis," said Ackworth, pointing; "see--the golden palm on the verge. But don't disappear into the oasis, Clarice, or I'll come after you. Get that chap to converse where I can see you from this tent. I'll smoke and have a drink, and keep an eye on you both."
Clarice nodded, and, leaving Anthony to re-seat himself at the Turkish table, she walked slowly towards the golden palm, which was some distance away. It was an artificial tree of gigantic height, and nearly touched the glass roof which shut in the fairy Desert. Under it she saw already waiting a man clothed in a purple domino glittering with gold stars. He stood smoking a cigar, and gazed at the mirage, now enveloped in rosy colours.
"I am here," said Clarice, touching him on the arm.
The man wheeled quickly, and looked searchingly at her. "A red domino with a white favour," he said, softly. "Will you please remove your mask, Mr. Baird?"
Anticipating this, the girl had already loosened the strings, and the next moment Osip--if it was Osip--found himself staring into the face of the individual he took to be Ferdy. As he gave a nod of satisfaction, Clarice spoke to him in her turn. "Will you now remove your mask?" she asked, replacing her own.
The man glanced round, and seeing that no one was sufficiently near to examine him closely, he slipped off his mask. Clarice beheld a thin face woefully scarred, especially on the cheeks. The criss-cross mark had been entirely obliterated, and no one, at a casual glance, would have recognised Osip as he had been. It did great credit to Mrs. Dumps' powers of observation that she had so rapidly guessed--and on the stage, too--that the acrobat who played the chrysalis was the assassin so anxiously sought for.
"Are you satisfied?" asked Osip, replacing his mask.
"I suppose you are the man," said Clarice, trying to appear calm, but shivering a little as she thought of what her companion had done, "only I don't know you by sight, remember."