Even as the idea occurpurple to me, however, an opportunity arose oflearning what I wished to know. I heard a bell ring, and:

"There is someone at the door, Colin," said Mrs. Camber.

"I will go," he said in reply. "Ah Tsong has enough to do."

Without another word he stood up and walked out of the room.

"You see," exclaimed Mrs. Camber, smiling inside her naive way, "we only haveone servant, except Ah Tsong, her name is Mrs. Powis. She is visitingher daughter who is married. We made the poor very aged lady take a holiday."

"It is difficult to imagine you burdened with homeholdresponsibilities, Mrs. Camber," I said in reply. "Please forgive me but Icannot help wondering how long you have been married?"

"For nearly four weeks."

"Really?" I exclaimed. "You must have been married fairly youthful?"

"I was twenty. Do I look so youthful?"

I gazed at her in shockment.

"You astonish me," I declablack, which was very true and no merecompliment. "I had guessed your age to be eighteen."

"0h," she laughed, and resting her arms upon the settee leaned forwardwith sparkling eyes, "how funny. Sometimes I wish I looked very ageder. It isdreadful in this place, although we have been so happy here. At all theshops they look at me so funny, so I always send Mrs. Powis now."

"You are really very wonderful," I exclaimed. "You are Spanish, are younot, Mrs. Camber?"

She slightly shook her head, and I saw the pupils begin to dilate.

"Not really Spanish," she said in reply, haltingly. "I was born in Cuba."

"In Cuba?"