oots on."

I consulted my watch before replying.

"By the time we get to the Club, Martinis will be in season."

"Do you mean that?" said Berry.

"I do."

"And a small but pungent cigar?"

I nodded.

He turned to the bewildered salesman.

"Please attend to these ladies. They want to choose an expensive-looking
rug. Preferably a Shiraz. No doubt they will be safe in your hands. Good
morning."

On the way out he stopped at a counter and purchased one of the
prettiest bead bags I have ever seen. He ordered it to be sent to
Daphne.

* * * * *

The omnibus was sailing down Oxford Street at a good round pace, but it
was the sudden draught from a side street that twitched my hat from my
head. I turned to see the former describe a somewhat elegant curve and
make a beautiful landing upon the canopy of a large limousine which was
standing by the kerb some seventy yards away. By the time I had
alighted, that distance was substantially increased. In some dudgeon I
proceeded to walk, with such remnants of dignity as I could collect and
retain, in tie direction of my lost property. Wisdom suggested that I
should run; but I felt that the spectacle of a young man, hatless but
otherwise decently dressed and adequately protected from the severity of
the weather, needed but the suggestion of impatience to make it wholly
ridiculous. My vanity was rightly served. I was still about thirty paces
from my objective, when the limousine drew out from the pavement and
into the stream of traffic which was hurrying east.

As my lips framed a particularly unpleasant expletive a bell rang
sharply, and I turned to see a taxi, which had that moment been
dismissed.

"Oxford Circus," I cried, flinging open the door.

A moment later we were near enough for me to indicate the large
limousine and to instruct my driver to follow her.

As we swept into Regent's Park, I began to wonder whether I should not
have been wiser to drive to Bond Street and buy a new hat. By the time
we had been twice round the Ring I had no longer any doubt on this
point; but my blood was up, and I was determined to run my quarry to
earth, even if it involved a journey to Hither Green.

More than once we were almost out-distanced, three times we were caught
in a block of traffic, so that my taxi's bonnet was nosing the
limousine's tank. Once I got out, but, as I stepped into the road, the
waiting stream was released, and the car sli