“I must admit this seems rather an embarrassing situation.  Frankly, it does not tend to ameliorate the relation between us.  You have placed yourself—­and me—­in a peculiarly compromising position.  I must try to meet it.

“Obviously you cannot expect one so unskilled as I, in things feminine, to help you in the capacity of lady’s maid Therefore only one thing remains to do.  Instead of calling my orderly, and having him show you your stateroom, I must in some way arrange to get you there, myself.”

“That’s kind of you, I’m sure,” she answered, half in mockery, half in gratitude.

“There I will supply you with medical supplies.  In some manner or other you can manage to do up your hair and resume your disguise.  You will remain in your stateroom—­under arrest—­until such time as you are cast loose, tomorrow, in your plane.”

“Tomorrow?”

“I should say, sometime before night of the day that has already begun.  Food and drink will be brought you, of course.”

“That’s very good of you, sir.”  Her smile tantalized.  The curt laconicism of her manner, in the masculine role, had changed to the softer ways of womankind.  Despite himself, the Master was constrained to admire her ability as an actress.

“Of course you realize,” she continued, “that to cast me loose in a plane, with only one serviceable arm, will be equivalent to committing cold-blooded murder.”

“A mere detail!”

“A mere detail—­to murder a woman?”

“Pardon me, you misunderstand.  I mean, the manner in which you are to leave Nissr matters little, so long as you leave.  I will see that you are safely landed—­that no harm arrives to you.

“But you—­shall not remain with us.  Now, kindly stay here.  Lock the cabin door after I have gone, and admit no one until I return.  I will signal you with two triple knocks, thus.”

He illustrated the knocks, on the table, and, unlocking the door, left the cabin in a black humor.  The sound of the woman locking the door after him, the knowledge that he had been obliged to make up a little code for readmission, angered him as he rarely had been angered.

Self-protection, however, demanded these subterfuges.  To let the secret escape, and to be obliged to admit having been deceived by a woman, would fatally lower his prestige with the Legionaries.  How could he, if known to be the dupe of a woman, command those hard, bold men?

Humiliated, yet in his heart thankful that no one had yet penetrated the secret—­as Dr. Lombardo easily might have done, had he laid forcible hands on “Captain Alden”—­the Master set about the necessary task of himself preparing a stateroom and providing the requisite medical supplies.

Lombardo asked no questions.  His eyes, however, had grown quizzical.  No one else seemed to notice what the Master was about.  Each was busy in his own place, at his own task.