and went straight off to Conto and Blag. I made certain she would
work through them, as they were accustomed to shop the cats, and I found
I was right. They knew all about her. Wouldn't give her address, but
told me that she was appearing this week at the Winter Garten at Berlin.
Why that pudding-headed quagga, Bevan, at the Embassy, hasn't kept his
eyes open for me, as he promised," he went on a while later, "I don't
know! I can understand Eugen Pattenhausen, the owl-eyed coot who
runs the International Aid Society, not doing a hand's turn to aid
anybody--but Bevan! For Heaven's sake, while you're there call at the
Embassy and kick him."

"You forget, my dear boy," said I, with a laugh, for his news had
made me light-hearted, "you forget that I have entered upon a life
of self-denial, and one of the luxuries I must deny myself is that of
kicking attaches."

"I've a good mind to go with you and do it myself. But it'll keep. Do
you know, it's rather quaint, isn't it?" he said, after a pause, as if
struck by a luminous idea--"It's rather quaint that it should be I who
am playing the little tin god on wheels for you two, and saying 'Bless
you, my children.'"

"I thought the humour of the situation couldn't fail to strike you at
last."

"Yes," said he, knitting his brows into an air of dark reflection "it is
funny. Devilish funny!"

I dismissed him with grateful words, and in a flutter of excitement went
in search of Campion, whom I was lucky to find in the building.

"I'm sorry to ask for leave of absence," said I, "before I've actually
taken up my appointment; but I must do so. I am summoned at once to
Berlin on important business."

Campion gave willing consent. "How long will you be away?"

"That depends," said I, with a smile which I meant to be enigmatic, but
assuredly must have been fatuous, "upon my powers of persuasion."

I had bright thoughts of going to Berlin and back in a meteoric flash,
bringing Lola with me on my return journey, to marry her out of hand
as soon as we reached London. Cats and Winter Gartens concerned me but
little, and of trifles like contracts I took no account.

"If you're there any time," said Campion, tugging thoughtfully at his
black beard, "you might look into what the Germans are doing with regard
to Female Rescue Work. You might pick up a practical tip or two for use
down here."

What a thing it is to be a man of one idea! I gave him an evasive answer
and rushed away to m