Allow me three minutes to make myself presentable.' She inclined her head gravely and took a seat by the fire.

I went into my bedroom, and as I expected found Peter lurking by the other door.
In a hectic sentence I bade him get Rasta's orderly out of the place on any pretext, and tell him his master would return later.

Then I hurried into decent garments, and came out to find my visitor in a brown study.
At the sound of my entrance she started from her dream and stood up on the hearthrug, slipping the long robe of fur from her slim body.
'We are alone ?' she said.

'We will not be disturbed ?' Then an inspiration came to me.

I remembered that Frau von Einem, according to Blenkiron, did not see eye to eye with the Young Turks; and I had a queer instinct that Rasta could not be to her liking.