You will want Paul all to yourself for awhile, Yvonne. I shall look in
later in the afternoon." He shook hands with his pretty hostess, put on
his cap and set off for the offices of Messrs. Nevin & Nevin.

* * * * *

The offices of Messrs. Nevin & Nevin were of that dusty, gloomy and
obsolete fashion which inspires such confidence in the would-be
litigant. Large and raggedly bound volumes, which apparently had been
acquired from the twopenny boxes outside second-hand bookshops, lined
the shelves of the outer office, and the chairs were of an
early-Victorian horsehair variety. Respectability had run to seed in
those chambers. Mr. Jacob Nevin, the senior partner, to whose decorous
sanctum Don presently penetrated, also had a second-hand appearance. Don
had always suspected him of secret snuff-taking.

"Ah, Captain Courtier," he said; "very sad about Miss Duveen's second
bereavement, very sad."

"Yes. Fate has dealt unkindly with the poor girl. I understand that Mrs.
Duveen died more than two months ago; but I only learned of her death
quite recently. I wrote to Miss Duveen directly I knew that I was coming
to England, and I was horrified to hear of her mother's death. You have
got the affairs well in hand now?"

"Since receiving your instructions, Captain Courtier, I have pushed the
matter on with every possible expedition--every expedition possible. The
absence of Mr. Paul Mario in France had somewhat tied my hands, you
see."

"I will consult Mrs. Chumley, my aunt, and arrange, if possible, for
Miss Duveen to live at The Hostel. I have already written to her upon
the subject. If it can be managed I shall 'phone you later to-day, and
perhaps you would be good enough to wire to Miss Duveen requesting her
to come to London immediately. Don't mention my name, you understand?
But let me know at the Club by what train she is arriving and I shall
endeavour to meet her. We cannot expect Mario to attend to these
details; he has a duty to the world, which only a man of his genius
could perform."

Mr. Nevin adjusted his pince-nez. "Very remarkable, Captain Courtier,"
he said gravely; "a very strange and strong personality--Mr. Paul Mario.
As my client his wishes are mine, but as a staunch churchman I find
myself in disagreement with much of his paper, _Le Bateleur_--in
disagreement, but remarkable, very."

Don laughed. "You are not alone in this respect, Mr. Nevin. He is
destined to divide t