M.
She sealed the note and handed it to him. He turned it over and over in his fingers, his gaze aslant.
"But suppose," he repeated slowly, "that I should not be able to find him."
"You must," she said with desperate hardihood. "If the note should not reach him, the conditions of our agreement change. And be sure of this, Effendi—if harm comes to Hugh Renwick, payment will be exacted from you to the tenth part of a hair. His safety and my freedom——"
"I do not comprehend," said the man, his brows raised in a well-simulated surprise. "What have I to do with the safety of this Excellency? He can be in no danger, here in Bosna-Seraj. We are a peaceable people——"
"Still—" she said distinctly, "you will remember."
He shrugged and took a pace away from her, still fingering the note.
"I do not comprehend," he repeated. "But I will do as you request. I shall go at once," and he moved toward the door, then paused. "As to the guard at the door below, that will not be necessary, since you will await me in the mabein." He went quickly down the corridor, opened the door of the dutap, and called Zubeydeh, who entered at once. "The Countess will wait in the outer room. When I return I shall conduct her to the Hotel Europa, where she will spend the night. You will wait upon her in the meanwhile, as becomes a distinguished guest of the house of Rataj."
Then followed a phrase or two of Turkish, and the woman bowed stolidly.
"It shall be as you wish, Effendi."