o. It
lacks colour. I want something more crimson, more like the brighter
parts of this jacket, something--" He waved hands in the air. "The
Alderman agrees with me. He's going. Don't trouble to read any more,
Trent. But drop in any time--any time. Chung, what o'clock is it?"

"It is nearly noon," said Edward Henry, in the tone of an old friend.
"Well, I'm sorry you can't oblige me, Sir John. I'm off to see Sir
Gerald Pompey now."

"But who says I can't oblige you?" protested Sir John. "Who knows
what sacrifices I would not make in the highest interests of the
profession? Alderman, you jump to conclusions with the agility of an
acrobat, but they are false conclusions! Miss Taft, the telephone!
Chung, my coat! Good-bye, Trent, good-bye!"

An hour later Edward Henry met Mr. Marrier at the Grand Babylon Hotel.

"Well, sir," said Mr. Marrier, "you are the greatest man that ever
lived!"

"Why?"

Mr. Marrier showed him the stop-press news of a penny evening paper,
which read: "Sir John Pilgrim has abandoned his ceremonious departure
from Tilbury, in order to lay the corner-stone of the new Regent
Theatre on Wednesday week. He and Miss Cora Pryde will join the
_Kandahar_ at Marseilles."

"You needn't do any advertaysing," said Mr. Marrier. "Pilgrim will do
all the advertaysing for you."

III

Edward Henry and Mr. Marrier worked together admirably that afternoon
on the arrangements for the corner-stone-laying. And--such was the
interaction of their separate enthusiasms--it soon became apparent
that all London (in the only right sense of the word "all") must and
would be at the ceremony. Characteristically, Mr. Marrier happened to
have a list or catalogue of all London in his pocket, and Edward Henry
appreciated him more than ever. But towards four o'clock Mr. Marrier
annoyed and even somewhat alarmed Edward Henry by a mysterious change
of mien. His assured optimism slipped away from him. He grew uneasy,
darkly preoccupied, and inefficient. At last, when the clock in the
room struck four, and Edward Henry failed to hear it, Mr. Marrier
said:

"I'm afraid I shall have to ask you to excuse me now."

"Why?"

"I told you I had an appointment for tea at four."

"Did you? What is it?" Edward Henry demanded, with an employer's
instinctive assumption that souls as well as brains can be bought for
such sums as three pounds a week.

"I have a lady coming to tea here. That is, downstairs."

"In this hotel?"

"