epare a statement for the defence. However, here the man was, and
the situation must be faced.

"Pilkington!" he cried. "My dear fellow! Just the man I wanted to
see! I'm afraid there has been a little misunderstanding. Of course,
it has all been cleared up now, but still I must insist on making a
personal explanation really I must insist. The whole matter was a most
absurd misunderstanding. It was like this...."

Here Uncle Chris paused in order to devote a couple of seconds to
thought. He had said it was "like this," and he gave his moustache
another pull as though he were trying to drag inspiration out of it.
His blue eyes were as frank and honest as ever, and showed no trace of
the perplexity in his mind, but he had to admit to himself that, if he
managed to satisfy his hearer that all was for the best and that he
had acted uprightly and without blame, he would be doing well.

Fortunately, the commercial side of Mr. Pilkington was entirely
dormant this morning. The matter of the ten thousand dollars seemed
trivial to him in comparison with the weightier problems which
occupied his mind.

"Have you seen Miss Mariner?" he asked eagerly.

"Yes. I have just parted from her. She was upset, poor girl, of
course, exceedingly upset."

Mr. Pilkington moaned hollowly.

"Is she very angry with me?"

For a moment the utter inexplicability of the remark silenced Uncle
Chris. Why Jill should be angry with Mr. Pilkington for being robbed
of ten thousand dollars he could not understand, for Jill had told him
nothing of the scene that had taken place on the previous night. But
evidently this point was to Mr. Pilkington the nub of the matter, and
Uncle Chris, like the strategist he was, re-arranged his forces to
meet the new development.

"Angry?" he said slowly. "Well, of course...."

He did not know what it was all about, but no doubt if he confined
himself to broken sentences which meant nothing light would shortly be
vouchsafed to him.

"In the heat of the moment," confessed Mr. Pilkington, "I'm afraid I
said things to Miss Mariner which I now regret."

Uncle Chris began to feel on solid ground again.

"Dear, dear!" he murmured regretfully.

"I spoke hastily."

"Always think before you speak, my boy."

"I considered that I had been cheated...."

"My dear boy!" Uncle Chris' blue eyes opened wide. "Please! Haven't I said
that I could explain all that? It was a pure misunderstanding...."

"Oh, I don't care ab