sequence of a high
temperature through measles." Lady Tanagra saw that Bowen was ill at
ease, and sought by her lightness to simplify things for him.

"How long have I known her?" she proceeded.

"Oh! that you had better settle with her. All that is necessary is for
you to have met her somewhere, or somehow, and to have introduced me to
her."

"And who is to receive these explanations?" enquired Lady Tanagra.

"Her aunt, a gorgon."

"Does the girl know that you are--that I am to throw myself into the
breach?"

"No," said Peter, "I didn't think to tell her. I said that I would
arrange things. Her name's Patricia Brent. She's private secretary to
Arthur Bonsor of 426 Eaton Square, and she lives at Galvin House
Residential Hotel, to give it its full title, 8 Galvin Street,
Bayswater. Her aunt is to be at Galvin House at half-past five this
afternoon, when I have to be explained to her. Oh! it's most devilish
awkward, Tan, because I can't tell you the facts of the case. I wish
she were here."

"That's all right, Peter. I'll put things right. What time does she
leave Eaton Square?"

"Five o'clock, I think."

"Good! leave it to me. By the way, where shall you be if I want to get
at you?"

"When?"

"Say six o'clock."

"I'll be back here at six and wait until seven."

"That will do. Now I really must be going. I've got to telephone to
these people about the measles. Shall I run you down to Whitehall?"

"No, thanks, I think I'll walk," and with that he saw her into her car
and turned to walk back to Whitehall, thanking his stars for being
possessed of such a sister and marvelling at her wisdom. He had not
the most remote idea of how she would achieve her purpose; but achieve
it he was convinced she would. It was notorious that Lady Tanagra
never failed in anything she undertook.

While Bowen and his sister were lunching at the Quadrant, Patricia was
endeavouring to concentrate her mind upon her work. "The egregious
Arthur," as she called him to herself in her more impatient moments,
had been very trying that morning. He had been in a particularly
indeterminate mood, which involved the altering and changing of almost
every sentence he dictated. In the usual way he was content to tell
Patricia what he wanted to say, and let her clothe it in fitting words;
but this morning he had insisted on dictating every letter, with the
result that her notes had become hopelessly involved and she was
exp