Page:Guy Boothby - The Beautiful White Devil.djvu/230

 furnished house in an English paper, telegraphed about it, received an answer in Paris, engaged it, and arrived here this morning."

"And how did you leave the settlement? And, by the way, where is Mr. 'Beelzebub'?"

"The settlement was very well when I came away They were busy building the new Communal Hall I used to talk to you about. And poor old Bel is left at the bungalow. I was afraid he might excite remark and possibly draw suspicion upon me."

"Alie, do you think you are safe in London?" I cried in alarm, all my old fears rushing back upon me at the mention of that one word suspicion. "What ever should I do if any one suspected you?"

"You need have no fear on that score, dear," my intrepid sweetheart answered, "there is no one in England who could possibly recognize me, and the only people in the whole world who could do so are Vesey of Hong Kong, the Sultan of Surabaya, the Rajah of Tavoy, Barkmansworth, and that lieutenant and midshipman. The first is dead; the second never leaves his own territory, the third is in bad odour with the English Government just at present and little likely to come home. Barkmansworth is, I presume, still in Hong Kong, and the lieutenant and his junior are with their ship in the China Sea."

"All the same, I shall not be satisfied until we are safely out of Europe again, Alie."

"You say we, then you mean to come away with me, George?"

"Of course, with whom else should I go? Hark! somebody is coming!"