Mareno, a lean, swarthy fellow, his foreign cast of countenance
accentuated by close-cut side-whiskers, deposited Miss Gretna's case
in the cubicle which she had selected and, Rita pointing to that
adjoining it, he disposed the second case beside the divan and
departed silently. As the sound of a closing door reached them:
"You notice how quiet it is?" asked Mrs. Sin.
"Yes," replied Rita. "It is extraordinarily quiet."
"This an empty house--'To let,'" explained Mrs. Sin. "We watch it stay
so. Sin the landlord, see? Windows all boarded up and everything
padded. No sound outside, no sound inside. Sin call it the 'House of a
Hundred Raptures,' after the one he have in Buenos Ayres."
The voice of Cyrus Kilfane came, querulous, from a neighboring room.
"Lola, my dear, I am almost ready."
"Ho!" Mrs. Sin uttered a deep-toned laugh. "He is a glutton for
chandu! I am coming, Cy."
She turned and went out. Sir Lucien paused for a moment, permitting
her to pass, and:
"Good night, Rita," he said in a low voice. "Happy dreams!"
He moved away.
"Lucy!" called Rita softly.
"Yes?"
"Is it--is it really safe here?"
Pyne glanced over his shoulder towards the retreating figure of Mrs.
Sin, then:
"I shall be awake," he replied.
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