“And so,” earnestly said Major Alan Hawke, “I am absolutely prevented from seeing you, unless you will trust yourself to me, and come here again.” The frightened woman cast a glance at the unfamiliar loveliness of the secluded garden, with the hidden kiosques, sacred to Ram Lal’s furtive amours.
“I dare not!” she said, with trembling lips. “I would like to come, but—”
“Listen!” said Alan Hawke, softly taking her unresisting hand, “I will confide in you. I must, even to-day, go to Hugh Johnstone’s house. He has bidden me to a private interview. And he gives a tiffin in my honor. I have known him in past years. He does not as yet know of my official position. My duties are secret. My very honor forbids me to divulge it. I dare not openly acknowledge an acquaintance with you, with your sister. It rests with you that we meet again, for my sake, for your own sake, for your sister’s sake. I cannot lose you for a mere quibble.”
There was a genuine alarm in Justine Delande’s voice as she started up, crying out, “You come to us to-day?”
“Precisely!” gravely said Major Hawke, as he tried a long shot. “Both Captain Anstruther and myself have the gravest secret duties in connection with Hugh Johnstone’s future. He soon may be Sir Hugh, you know. And I dare not divulge to him my own delicate functions in this matter. Now you understand me at last,” said Hawke, warmly pressing Justine Delande’s hand. “I feel that I must not lose you, because I have my duty to perform, and I trust my honor to you. All will be well if you will only favor me with your womanly kindness, and trust to me as frankly as I to you. We must meet to-day at Hugh Johnstone’s as absolute strangers. We must also remain strangers to all appearances for a time,” he said at last. The Swiss spinster gazed up at him piteously.
“May I not even tell Nadine?” she faltered.
“Ah!” carelessly said Alan Hawke, “she is a mere child; I shall probably never see her. It is you alone that I would trust. Will you not come here again? I dare not, for your own sake, detain you longer now.” The timid woman glanced hurriedly at her watch.
“I have been here already too long, and I must go! And there is so much I would say to you!” She was almost handsome in her blushing confusion.
“Then you will come again, here? Ram Lal is my old factotum!” the young Major pleaded.
“I will come!” the half-subjugated woman whispered under her breath. “But when?” Her eyes were meekly downcast and her faltering voice trembled.