The Beautiful White Devil

kness to fall in order to get into Probolingo Harbour. Here it was arranged I should leave the yacht and travel by the Nederlands-India line of steamers to Batavia. A vessel

for her departure. The boat was alongside, my traps were safely stowed in her, and nothing remained but to bid Alie good-bye. As soon as this was accomplished I went down the gangway, took my seat in

e months she had been in her own harbour her colour, and indeed her whole appearance, had been entirely changed. When first I had made her acquaintance she was white as the driven snow; now she was a peculiar

at voyage there is little to tell. The Van Tromp was a clumsy old tub of an almost obsolete pattern, and

ed to take the first train to the city. Arriving there I drove di

to make inquiries concerning her lest by so doing I might excite suspicion. To while away the time till dinner I lit a cigar, and se

a, and partook of it in the verandah. Not to be outdone, I followed their example. But just as I was

strange ladies turned the corner of the verandah and came towards us. The taller, and younger of the two, was a fine dark woman, with a wealth of beautiful brown hair rolled tightly behind her head. She was dressed in a well-fitting travelling dress, wore, what I believe is called, a sailor hat, and walked with a

llen had I not caught it in time, but the cup of tea was too quick for me, and fell to the ground, splashing the young lady's pretty grey dress beyond hope of remedy in its descent. The cup and saucer were broken into a hundred pieces. For a

kind. It was all my fault. I

ed it. I hastened to assure her that I could not let her take the blame upon herself, and once more

you've been deprived of your tea, and that's not fair at all. Say, won't you come right along to our verandah and take a cup with us? You

vitation and accompanied them round the hotel garden to their own verandah on the other side. As I went I kept my eyes open for any sign of Alie, but though I thought I saw her once I pr

a prepared. Before we sat down, however, the you

, with whom I am travelling; you've probably heard of Beecher's patent double-action sofa springs, I reckon? I am Kate Sanderson, of New York, only daughter of mil

" I answered. "My name is De Nor

ville, of Cavendis

as my London address two years ago

irectly I set eyes on you. But it's mighty plain you don't remember me! Th

it herself, so Miss Sander

she said. "Look at me well, and try

familiar to me. All the time I was watching her she sat gazing at me with an amused smile upon her face, and

ed in to the Langham Hotel to attend a young Ameri

tly," I answered, "but that young l

et grown up, and past a certain point, over on our side, we age pretty fast. That's so, I reckon. Well now you know me, don't you? What a day that was, to be sure, wasn't it? Lor! how pap a

answered, glad to have at last discovered who this talka

Beecher?" I asked the elder lady, feeling

tish India steamer home from here, or to go up to Singapore and intercept a Peninsular and Oriental the

e with your feelings. I am sadly reluctant to go back

n?" asked Miss Sanderson, who had been

th a sigh. "My business in the East is at an

withdrew. Just as I stepped from the verandah, one of the small native dos-a-dos carts entered the grounds and drew up near the end of my corridor. Two ladi

myself outside my door and waited. Though I remained there for some time, however, they did not emer

the gardens, I discovered to my annoyance that my place was laid at a long table at the fur

out me. Some of the residents were still dining, and at the end of the middle table, farthest from me, were, without doubt, the two ladies whom I had seen arrive. At the distance I was from them it was quite impossible to tell

storm at once. From what she told me I gathered two things, first, that hitherto she had found her evenings dull, and, second, that on this particular occasion there was to be an open-air concert on the King's Plain, distant about a mile from the hotel. She and her friend had intended going, if they could find an escort, and there and then she asked me if I would officiate in that capacity. I did not know

er girls than the distinguished-looking American by my side; but for all that I was not

been inspiriting, but, in the humour I was in, the gayest marches sounded like funeral dirges. For over an hour we continued to promenade, until I began really to think that I should h

said Miss Sanderson to me as we left th

poilt your enjoyment," I said

ou expect to see anyone in Batavia? I have noticed that you scan ev

must confess," I answered. "You

ed in a sharp school,

ts. We paused for a few moments and leaned over the parapet to look down at the star-spangled water oozing its silent way towards the sea. It was all very

his has gone far enoug

as A

for some seconds could only stand and stare at her in complete amazement. Her disguise was so perfect, her American accent was so

nd my voice. "Is it possible that Miss

justice to remember I warned you I was good at disguising myself. My reason for not revealing my identity to you before was that I wanted thoroughl

n you. And your companion is therefore not Mrs. Beecher, whose husband's patent dou

the sofa springs are creat

. The bone in your throat that I extracted

ng American lady's throat at that hotel. I thought it unlikely, as it was the only time you ever saw her, that yo

ress; you would make you

-Chief, the Beautiful White Devil as Ophelia, or Desdemona shall we say, why, what houses I should draw. But now to business. As we may not have another opp

sent, and s

ling acquaintances. Before you have been in the place half a day you will probably have been introduced to Mr. Ebbington, the man we want. He will see you talking to me, and by hook o

roug

be getting home. To-morr

inutes had bade each other good-nigh

g Priok Harbour, bound for Singapore. I joined the steamer some time before her advertised sailing ho

they came up the gangway, but did not do more. They went below, w

beneath the waves someone came up and stood beside

iminaries had been gone through. "Our enterprise has now fairly started, and i

onfess I tremble when I think of the risk you are running in app

eiress? No, you cannot mean it. If you think that

acious! and what

nst him was so bitter that it was thought advisable to transfer him elsewhere. You would have imagined that that lesson would have been enough for him. Not a bit. On the new island he began his reign of tyranny again, and once more a death occurred; this time, however, the victim was a man. The authorities at home were immediately appealed to, with the result that an inqu

ite under

ng on that very island whom I can perfectly trust. He was a witness on the inquiry commission, he saw the flogging in question, and in due course he reported the facts to me. I must also tell you that that man boasted publicly that if he caught me he w

do you int

o punish him as he deserves, and, by so doing, to