u----"

"If I go on, will you promise to behave?"

"Faithfully."

"And fold your arms and sit like a groom all the way?"

"I suppose you couldn't make it a footman. Then I could stand on the
petrol tank. However, as it's your birthday----"

I folded my arms with a sigh. Instantly Agatha leaned towards me with a
dazzling smile.

"Good Boy," she said in a caressing tone. "Now he shall have a stamp
album."

"But I don't collect stamps."

The smile deepened. But for her red mouth, her little white teeth would
have been the prettiest things in the world.

"Well, I'd thought of a stamp album," she said slowly. "However, as it's
your birthday----"

A minute later we were back in the main road.

* * * * *

By my direction Miss Deriot drove straight to the stables, and we left
the car standing in the middle of the yard.

As we walked round to the front of the house, "We won't tell the others
that we've found her just yet," said I. "We'll hear what they've got to
say first."

"Perhaps they're all out looking for her," said Agatha.

"Not all. Daphne's sure to be here somewhere."

As I spoke we rounded a clump of laurels to see the lady in question
comfortably ensconced in a deck-chair upon the lawn. By her side was
Jill, seated upon a cushion, one little foot tucked under her, nursing
the other's instep with her slim, brown hand. On a rug at her feet lay
Jonah, his chin propped between his two palms and a pipe in his mouth.

All three were gazing contentedly across the grass to where the drive
swept wide to the foot of the broad grey steps. _There stood a handsome
Rolls-Royce, the facsimile of the one from which we had just alighted._

With a great gasp Agatha stopped dead, and I recoiled as from a spectre.
Instinctively we clasped one another.

"It's all right," I whispered. "I've seen it too. It'll go away in a
moment. Shows what imagination will do."

"But--but it's real!" cried Agatha.

"Real enough, my lady," said Jonah's voice. He seemed to be speaking
from a great distance. "And I'll bet you never expected to see her again
so soon," he added, looking at me with a smile.

"To tell you the truth," said I, "we didn't."

As in a dream I watched a dazed and stammering Agatha made welcome and
set in a chair by my sister's side. Somebody--Jill, I fancy--led me to
the rug and persuaded me to sit down. Mechanically I started to fumble
for a cigarette. Then I heard Jonah ta