nk. Something
very special. A--ah--a Helena Glinska--"

* * * * *

"Hello," Erika Ashby's voice said from the door. "Nick, are you there?
May I come in?"

The sound of her voice sent delicious chills rushing up and down
Martin's spine. He swung round, mike in hand, to welcome her. But St.
Cyr, pleased at this diversion, roared before he could speak.

"No, no, no, no! Go! Go at once. Whoever you are--_out_!"

Erika, looking very brisk, attractive and firm, marched into the room
and cast at Martin a look of resigned patience.

Very clearly she expected to fight both her own battles and his.

"I'm on business here," she told St. Cyr coldly. "You can't part author
and agent like this. Nick and I want to have a word with Mr. Watt."

"Ah, my pretty creature, sit down," Martin said in a loud, clear voice,
scrambling out of his chair. "Welcome! I'm just ordering myself a drink.
Will you have something?"

Erika looked at him with startled suspicion. "No, and neither will you,"
she said. "How many have you had already? Nick, if you're drunk at a
time like this--"

"And no shilly-shallying," Martin said blandly into the mike. "I want it
at once, do you hear? A Helena Glinska, yes. Perhaps you don't know it?
Then listen carefully. Take the largest Napoleon you've got. If you
haven't a big one, a small punch bowl will do. Fill it half full with
ice-cold ale. Got that? Add three jiggers of creme de menthe--"

"Nick, are you mad?" Erika demanded, revolted.

"--and six jiggers of honey," Martin went on placidly. "Stir, don't
shake. Never shake a Helena Glinska. Keep it well chilled, and--"

"Miss Ashby, we are very busy," St. Cyr broke in importantly, making
shooing motions toward the door. "Not now. Sorry. You interrupt. Go at
once."

"--better add six more jiggers of honey," Martin was heard to add
contemplatively into the mike. "And then send it over immediately. Drop
everything else, and get it here within sixty seconds. There's a bonus
for you if you do. Okay? Good. See to it."

He tossed the microphone casually at St. Cyr.

Meanwhile, Erika had closed in on Tolliver Watt.

"I've just come from talking to Gloria Eden," she said, "and she's
willing to do a one-picture deal with Summit _if_ I okay it. But I'm not
going to okay it unless you release Nick Martin from his contract, and
that's flat."

Watt showed pleased surprise.

"Well, we might get together on that," he said