their guests. Cassavetti intercepted Anne. “Good night, Miss Pendennis,” he said in a low voice, adding, in French, “Will you give me a flower as souvenir of our first meeting?” [Pg 16] [Pg 16] She glanced at her posy, selected a spray of scarlet geranium, and presented it to him with a smile, and a word that I did not catch. He looked at her more intently than ever as he took it. “A thousand thanks, mademoiselle. I understand well,” he said, with a queer thrill in his voice, as of suppressed excitement. As she passed on I heard him mutter in French: “The symbol! Then it is she! Yes, without doubt it is she!” [Pg 17] [Pg 17] CHAPTER III THE BLOOD-STAINED PORTRAIT In the vestibule I hung around waiting till Anne and Mrs. Dennis Sutherland should reappear from the cloak-room. I It was close on the time when I was due at Whitehall Gardens, but I must have a parting word with Anne, even at the risk of being late for the appointment with my chief. Jim and Mary passed through, and paused to say good night. “It’s all right, Maurice?” Mary whispered. “And you’re coming to us to-morrow, anyhow?” “Yes; to say good-bye, if I have to start on Monday.” “Just about time you were on the war-path again, my boy,” said Jim, bluffly. “Idleness is demoralizing, ’specially in London.”
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