I saw to that. D'you
suppose she's roaming the streets?"

"Well, she can't roam long; legs will give out. Perhaps she's home by
now or at Mrs. Oglethorpe's. Better telephone."

They went out and found a public telephone. Janet had not been seen
nor heard from.

"You don't think it's going to be another Dorothy Arnold case?" gasped
Oglethorpe, who seemed completely unnerved.

"Good Heavens no, Jim! And she's able to take care of herself. Nobody
better. She'll give you a scare and then turn up--with her thumb at
her nose, likely. Better come up to my rooms and have a drink."

"Orright. I can't go home and I don't want to be alone anywhere. I'd
go out of my senses. Anything might happen to her, and I shan't call
in the police until the last minute. Filthy scandal."

"Police? Certainly not. And as Janet is cold sober, be sure she'll
come to no harm."

A few moments later they were in the lift ascending to Clavering's
rooms. "Hullo!" he said, as he opened the door of his little hall.
"The fool maid has left the light on," and, as they entered the
living-room, "what the devil--" Cigarette smoke hung in the air.

[Illustration: It took a lot of self possession and grit for Zattiany
(Corinne Griffith) and Clavering (Conway Tearle) to hide their feelings
when she alighted to go to the ship which was to return her to Europe.
(_Screen version of "The Black Oxen."_)]

There was a wild shriek from a corner of the room, a slim girl leapt
across the intervening space like a panther, and flinging herself upon
Oglethorpe, beat his chest with her fists.

"You damned old plumber, you old dumb-duck!" shrieked his little
daughter. "What did you come here and spoil everything for? He'd have
had to marry me tomorrow if you'd minded your own business. I'll claw
your eyes out." But her hands were imprisoned in her father's hard
fists, and she turned and spat at the petrified Clavering. "I hate
you! I hate you! But I'm going to marry you all the same. One way or
another I'll get you. I meant to wait awhile; for I hadn't had fun
enough yet, and I'd have precious little with you, you old flat tyre.
But when I heard that old Zattiany woman'd got hold of you--and then
locked up and not able to do a thing--I thought I'd go mad. I dropped
my diamond bracelet out of the window and one of the servants let me
out--I won't tell which. You've been seen coming out of her house at
all hours, but she's a thousand years