Why in the world was Lola Brandt coming to join me in Algiers?
If she had wanted to do her husband hunting on her own account, why had she put me to the inconvenience of my journey?
Her action could not have been determined by my letter about Anastasius Papadopoulos, as a short calculation proved that it could not have reached her.

I wandered round and round the garden paths vainly seeking for the motive.

Was it escape from Dale?
Had she, womanlike, taken the step which she was so anxious to avoid--and in order to avoid taking which all this bother had arisen--and given the boy his dismissal?
If so, why had she not gone to Paris or St.Petersburg or Terra del Fuego?
Why Algiers?
Dale abandoned outright, the necessity for finding her husband had disappeared.

Perhaps she was coming to request me, on that account, to give up the search.
But why travel across seas and continents when a telegram or a letter would have sufficed?
She was coming at any rate; and as she gave no date I presumed that she would travel straight through and arrive in about forty-eight hours.

This reflection caused a gleam of sunshine to traverse my gloom.