ia's gentle laughter. Then:

"I shall come back about one, dear, if you don't send for me before,"
said Daphne.

The next moment I heard the door close, and Silvia seated herself on my
left by the side of the bed. I opened my off eye. I lay in a fair,
grey-papered chamber, darkened, for the green shutters were drawn close
about the open windows. Some of their slides were ajar, letting the
bright sunshine slant into the room.

"There was once," I said, "a fool." A smothered exclamation close to
my left ear. "A fool, who did everything wrong. He lost his way, his
heart, his head, and, last of all, his balance. In that order. Yet he
was proud. But then he was only a fool."

"But he was--English," she murmured.

"Yes," I said.

"And there was another fool," said Silvia. "A much bigger one, really,
because, although she never lost her way or her head or her balance,
she lost something much more precious. She lost her temper."

"But not her voice," said I. "And the fools went together to Scotland
Yard, and there they found the way and the head and the balance and the
temper. But not the heart, Silvia."

"Plural," said Silvia, softly. I opened my near eye and turned my
head. The first thing I saw was a rosy arm, lying on the edge of my
pillow. Within reach.

"I say," I whispered. "Is the bell in this room all right?"

CHAPTER XI

THE LOVE SCENE

When I had drawn blood for the third time, I felt that honour was
satisfied, so I cleaned the safety razor carefully and put it away.

Quarter of an hour later I entered the dining-room.

"I said so," said Daphne.

"I know," said I, frowning.

"You don't even know what I said."

"I know that some surmise of yours has proved correct, which is enough."

The coffee really was hot. After drinking a little, my smile returned.

"Tell him," said Berry.

"We've been thinking it over," said Daphne, "and we've come to the
conclusion that you'd better call."

"On whom? For what?"

"Be call-boy."

I rose to my feet.

"Ladies and gentlemen," I said, "I have to thank you this day--it is
meant for a day, isn't it?--for the honour you have done me. Although
I can scarcely hope to sustain the role in a manner worthy of the best
traditions of--"

"We'd cast you for something else, if it was safe," said Daphne.

"You don't really think I'm going to call, do you?"

"Why not?"

"And have to stand in the wings while you all get crowds of cab