at once recognize. She looked again over her shoulder at Rosario and
her face clouded. She replied in the same tongue. Arnold would have
moved away, but she detained him.

"You must not mind," she said softly, "that my brother and I talk
sometimes in our native language. You do not, by chance, know
Portuguese, Mr. Chetwode?"

"Not a word," he replied.

"I am going to leave all these people to amuse themselves," she
continued, dropping her voice slightly. "I want you to come with me
for a moment, Mr. Chetwode. You must take care that you do not slip.
These wooden floors are almost dangerous. I did give a dance here
once," she continued, as they made their way across the room,
talking a little vaguely and with an obvious effort. "I did not
enjoy it at all. To me the style of dancing in this country seems
ungraceful. Look behind, Mr. Chetwode. Tell me, is Mr. Rosario
following us?"

Arnold glanced over his shoulder. Rosario was still standing in the
same place, but he was watching them intently.

"He is looking after us, but he has not moved," Arnold announced.

"It is better for him that he stays there," Mrs. Weatherley said
softly. "Please come."

At the further end of the apartment there was a bend to the left.
Mrs. Weatherley led the way around the corner into a small recess,