Clarice nodded, and, leaving Anthony to re-seat himself at the Turkish table, she walked slowly towards the golden palm, which was some distance away. It was an artificial tree of gigantic height, and nearly touched the glass roof which shut in the fairy Desert. Under it she saw already waiting a man clothed in a purple domino glittering with gold stars. He stood smoking a cigar, and gazed at the mirage, now enveloped in rosy colours. "I am here," said Clarice, touching him on the arm. The man wheeled quickly, and looked searchingly at her. "A red domino with a white favour," he said, softly. "Will you please remove your mask, Mr. Baird?" Anticipating this, the girl had already loosened the strings, and the next moment Osip--if it was Osip--found himself staring into the face of the individual he took to be Ferdy. As he gave a nod of satisfaction, Clarice spoke to him in her turn. "Will you now remove your mask?" she asked, replacing her own. The man glanced round, and seeing that no one was sufficiently near to examine him closely, he slipped off his mask. Clarice beheld a thin face woefully scarred, especially on the cheeks. The criss-cross mark had been entirely obliterated, and no one, at a casual glance, would have recognised Osip as he had been. It did great credit to Mrs. Dumps' powers of observation that she had so rapidly guessed--and on the stage, too--that the acrobat who played the chrysalis was the assassin so anxiously sought for. "Are you satisfied?" asked Osip, replacing his mask. "I suppose you are the man," said Clarice, trying to appear calm, but shivering a little as she thought of what her companion had done, "only I don't know you by sight, remember." "Didn't Mrs. Dumps tell you last night?" "Yes. But how she recognised you without the criss-cross mark I cannot say," replied Clarice, quietly. "Oh, trust a woman to jump to conclusions," said Osip, coolly. "It might have been my lean figure, or the shape of my head, or my general air, that she knew me by. But I certainly congratulate Mrs. Dumps on her cleverness. But you are wrong in saying that you do not know me by sight. You saw me in the High Street of Crumel." Clarice suddenly recollected that Ferdy had noticed the man in grey, and had told Jerce about him. "It was only a passing glance," she protested. "I should never have remembered you." "Ah, you are not a woman," said Osip, thoroughly imposed upon by her disguise and manly bearing. "But we cannot speak here; someone might overhear, and I have to be careful," he ended with a slight laugh. "Ugh!" said Clarice, and shuddered. "Why do you do that?" asked Osip, suddenly and curiously. "Granted that I am--what I am. Are you any better, Mr. Baird?" Clarice felt as though cold water was running through her veins. "What do you mean?" she faltered.