you'd bought was still lying there. We both thought it feet above
any other rug there, and, when they said it was sold, I nearly cried. We
were so fed up that we said we wouldn't get a rug at all, and went off
to look at book-cases and chests of drawers. I didn't get home till six,
and, when I did, there was your present. Are you satisfied?"

"Overwhelmed."

"Good. Now, who's the lady?"

"That's just what I can't tell you. I know her voice, but not her
countenance. Her name is Dot--Lady Dot. She drives in a blue limousine
and she's here to-night."

Maisie assumed a serious air.

"This," she said, "is terrible. Does your life depend upon finding her?
I mean ... it's worse than a needle in a bundle of hay, isn't it?"

"Infinitely."

"You can wash out the limousine, because you won't see it. And the
voice, because you won't hear it. And her name, because she won't be
labelled. There's really nothing left, is there?"

Gloomily I assented.

"I'm sorry," said Maisie. "I'd like to have helped." The music slowed up
and died. "And now will you see me off?"

We made our way towards the exit.

I had found her footman and sent him to summon the car, and was standing
within the main entrance, when a familiar figure began with difficulty
to emerge from a car which had just arrived. Berry. Having succeeded in
projecting himself on to the steps, he turned to hand his companion out
of the car, as he did so presenting to the astonished doorkeepers a back
of such startling dimensions that the one nearest to me recoiled, for
all his seasoning.

I was wondering who was the muffled Samaritan that had brought him
along, when the chauffeur leaned forward as if to receive instructions
when to return. The light of the near-side lamp showed me the genial
features of that communicative fellow who had restored my grey hat some
nine days before.

Tall and slight, his mistress turned to the doorway, and I saw a
well-shaped head, couped at the throat by the white of an ermine stole.
Dark hair swept low over her forehead, an attractive smile sat on her
pretty mouth, and there was a fine colour springing in her cheeks.

She looked up to see me staring.

For a moment a pair of grey eyes met mine steadily. Then--

"Is the car here?" said Maisie over my shoulder. "Hullo, Berry."
Suddenly she saw his companion. "Betty, my dear, I thought you were in
Scotland."

Under pretence of arranging her wrap, I breathed Into her ear--

"Introd