"I shall be up again in a minute or two, Tony," she said, skilfully smoothing out a disordered ribbon. "Have a cigarette, and don't worry yourself about the pass. That will be quite all right." "You'll lend it to me?" exclaimed Tony gratefully. Molly paused on the threshold and looked back at him with a sort of mischievous elation. "No," she said. "I won't lend it to you; but I'll bring it with me." And with this somewhat staggering announcement she opened the door and disappeared from view. Whatever effect her remark may have had upon Tony, he appeared to have recovered from it fairly successfully by the time that she returned. At all events she found him reclining in the easy-chair, enveloped in cigarette smoke, and looking precisely as comfortable and unruffled as when she had left him. "Was your parting shot serious, Molly?" he asked in that pleasantly serene voice of his. As he spoke he got up from the chair, and Molly, who was a little out of breath, dropped into the vacant seat. "It was," she said; "dead, absolute serious. If you want Peter's letter you'll have to take me with you to Livadia." She paused and looked up at him. "Say yes, Tony," she added almost fiercely. "Don't you see that I mean it." Tony who was gazing down at her with a sort of dispassionate admiration, nodded his head. "I see you mean it all right, Molly," he said quietly; "but it's a bit of a bomb-shell you know. This won't be exactly a healthy trip if we happen to mess things up." Molly leaned across to the dressing-table and helped herself to a cigarette. "Tony dear," she observed. "I know I'm a musical comedy actress, but it doesn't necessarily follow that I'm a complete idiot. I understand perfectly that we're taking on about as risky and hopeless a job as any one could possibly tackle. If Da Freitas finds out I should think the odds are about twenty to one that neither of us will ever come back." She struck a match and lighted her cigarette. "Now are you satisfied?" she inquired. "Well, you seem to have a fairly sound grip of the situation," admitted Tony. "Still that doesn't make it any the less of a large order." He paused. "Good Lord, Molly, why it's madness--stark staring madness!" "I don't see it," returned Molly obstinately. "A wife's place is by her husband's side--especially when he has run away with another woman." In spite of himself Tony laughed. "But supposing we reach Livadia--suppose we actually get into Portriga--what can you do even then?" "What's the good of asking me that?" demanded Molly. "I don't know any more than you do--not till the time comes. The only thing is--" She broke off, as though not quite sure how to continue. "Well?" said Tony encouragingly. "It's just an idea--nothing else at present, but--but you have told me several times that this girl and I are almost exactly alike." Tony nodded. He was staring at her with a sudden expression of freshly aroused interest.