warning. "Peter doesn't
talk."

"But then, how do you----?"

"Well," said Lady Tanagra, "he told me that I was to be the one who had
introduced him to you and explain him to your aunt. It's all over
London that I've got measles, and there will be simply piles of flowers
and fruit arriving at Grosvenor Square by every possible conveyance."

"Measles!" cried Patricia uncomprehendingly.

"Yes, you see when Peter wants me I always have to throw up any sort of
engagement, and he does the same for me. When he asked me to lunch
with him to-day and said it was important, I had to give some
reasonable excuse to three lots of people to whom I had pledged myself,
and I thought measles would do quite nicely."

Patricia laughed in spite of herself.

"So you don't know anything except that you have got to----"

"Sponsor you," interrupted Lady Tanagra.

For some time Patricia was silent. She felt she could tell her story
to this girl who was so trustful that everything was all right, and who
was willing to do anything to help her brother.

"Can't we go slowly whilst I talk to you," said Patricia, as they
turned into the Park.

"We'll do better than that," said Lady Tanagra, "we'll stop and sit
down for five minutes." She pulled up the car near the Stanhope Gate
and they found a quiet spot under a tree.

"I cannot allow you to enter into this affair," said Patricia, "without
telling you the whole story. What you will think of me afterwards I
don't know; but I've got myself into a most horrible mess."

She then proceeded to explain the whole situation, how it came about
that she had come to know Bowen and the upshot of the meeting. Lady
Tanagra listened without interruption and without betraying by her
expression what were her thoughts.

"And now what do you think of me?" demanded Patricia when she had
concluded.

For a moment Lady Tanagra rested her hand upon Patricia's. "I think,
you goose, that had you known Peter better there would not have been so
much need for you to worry; but there isn't much time and we've got to
prepare. Now listen carefully. First of all you must call me Tan or
Tanagra, and I must call you Patricia or Pat, or whatever you like.
Secondly, as it would take too long to find out if we've got any
friends in common, you went to the V.A.D. Depot in St. George's
Crescent to see if you could do anything to help. There you met me.
I'm quite a shining light there, by the way, and we palled