Blaine was so jubilant over a sample of crushed quartz he had brought home with him that there was no concealing his high spirits.  He was even cordial to Samson, whom he detested, and so full of the milk of human kindness toward everybody else that they all wanted to stay and be amused by him.  But Tess got rid of them at last by begging Samson to go first ostentatiously and set them an example, which he did after extracting a promise from her to see him tete-a-tete again at the earliest opportunity.

Then Tess showed her husband the letter that Tom’s dog had thrust into her hand.

“You dine alone tonight, Dick, unless you prefer the club.  I’m going at once.  Read this.”

It was written in a fine Italic hand on expensive paper, with corrections here and there as if the writer had obeyed inspiration first and consulted a dictionary afterward—­a neat letter, even neat in its mistakes.

“Most precious friend,” it ran, “please visit me.  It is necessary that you find some way of avoi—­elu—­tricking the guards, because there are orders not to admit any one and not to let me out.  Please bring with you food from your house, because I am hungry.  A cat and two birds and a monkey have died from the food cooked for me.  I am also thirsty.  My mother taught me to drink wine, but the wine is finished, and I like water the best.  Tom Tripe will try to help you past the guards, but he has no brains, so you must give him orders.  He is very faithful.  Please come soon, and bring a very large quantity of water.  Yours with love, Yasmini.”

He read the letter and passed it back.

“D’you think it’s on the level, Tess?”

“I know it is!  Imagine that poor child, Dick, cooped up in a palace, starving and parching herself for fear of poison!”

“But how are you going to get to her?  You can’t bowl over Gungadhura’s guards with a sunshade.”

“Samson wrote this for me.”

Dick Blaine scowled.

“I imagine Samson’s favors are paid for sooner or later.”

“So are mine, Dick!  The beast has called me Theresa three times this afternoon, and has had the impudence to suggest that his preferment and my future happiness may bear some relation to each other.”

“See here, Tess, maybe I’d better beat him and have done with it.”

“No.  He can’t corrupt me, but he might easily do you an injury.  Let him alone, Dick, and be as civil as you can.  You did splendidly this evening—­”

“Before I knew what he’d said to you!”

“Now you’ve all the more reason to be civil.  I must keep in touch with that young girl in the palace, and Samson is the only influence I can count on.  Do as I say, Dick, and be civil to him.  Pretend you’re not even suspicious.”

“But say, that guy’s suggestions aggregate an ounce or two!  First, I’m to draw Gungadhura’s money while I hunt for buried treasure; but I’m to tip off Samson first.  Second, I’m to look on while he makes his political fortune with my wife’s help.  And third—­what’s the third thing, Tess?”