At that moment Mrs. Sin came in, followed by Mareno carrying two
dressing-cases. Mollie Gretna had run off to Kilfane, and could be
heard talking loudly in another room; but, called by Mrs. Sin, she now
returned, wide-eyed with excitement.
Mrs. Sin cast a lightning glance at Sir Lucien, and then addressed
Rita.
"Which of these three rooms you choose?" she asked, revealing her
teeth in one of those rapid smiles which were mirthless as the eternal
smile of Sin Sin Wa.
"Oh," said Rita hurriedly, "I don't know. Which do you want, Mollie?"
"I love this end one!" cried Mollie. "It has cushions which simply
reek of oriental voluptuousness and cruelty. It reminds me of a
delicious book I have been reading called Musk, Hashish, and Blood."
"Hashish!" said Mrs. Sin, and laughed harshly. "One night you shall
eat the hashish, and then--"
She snapped her fingers, glancing from Rita to Pyne.
"Oh, really? Is that a promise?" asked Mollie eagerly.
"No, no!" answered Mrs. Sin. "It is a threat!"
Something in the tone of her voice as she uttered the last four words
in mock dramatic fashion caused Mollie and Rita to stare at one
another questioningly. That suddenly altered tone had awakened an
elusive memory, but neither of them could succeed in identifying it.
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