"What
evil spirit has put it into your brain that it would be a good thing to
deceive me?"
Her scarlet lips opened and closed again.
"How have I deceived?" she faltered. "I gave the keys to the woman with
the blue eyes, and I sent her to my lord. It was a hard thing to do
that, but I did it. Was there any risk of evil? My lord was here to deal
with her."
"Why did you do this thing, Nita?" he asked.
"My lord knows," she answered simply. "I did it to bring evil upon this
English woman whom he has preferred. I did it that he might understand.
It was my lord himself who told me that she was a spy. Now it is
proved."
Prince Shan's fingers stole into the pocket of his coat. He held out a
crumpled sheet of paper, on which was written a single sentence. The
girl began to shiver.
"You have been very anxious indeed, Nita," he said, "to bring evil upon
this woman. This is the message you sent to Immelan. Do you recognise
your words? Listen, these are your words:
"'The greatest of all will desert you, if the Englishwoman whom he loves
is not speedily removed. Even to-night he may give papers into her hand,
and your secret will be known.'"
The girl sat transfixed. She seemed to have lost all power of speech.
"That is a copy of the message which you sent to Immelan," he told her
sternly.
"It is the terrible Li Wen," she faltered. "He has the second sight. The
devil walks with him."
"The devil is sometimes a useful confederate," her companion continued
equably.
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