I said.

With a big, happy laugh Tommy followed my example. Then he came up
again and caught me by the arm, as though to make sure that I was
still there.

"Neil, old son," he said, "I'm so glad to see you that I shall start
wrecking the blessed studio in a minute. For God's sake tell me what
it all means."

"Sit down, then," I said; "sit down and give me a chance. It's--it's a
hell of a yarn, Tommy."

He laughed again, and letting go my arm threw himself back into the
easy-chair.

"It would be," he said.

I always have a feeling that I can talk better when I am on my feet,
and so, while Tommy sat there puffing out great clouds of smoke from a
huge cherry-wood pipe, I paced slowly up and down the room giving
him my story. Like Joyce, he listened to me without saying a word or
interrupting me in any way. I told him everything that had happened
from the moment when I had escaped from prison to the time when I had
given my promise that I would come and look him up.

"I couldn't help it, Tommy," I finished. "I didn't want to drag you
in, but you know what Joyce is when she has once made up her mind
about anything. I thought the only way was to come and see you.
Between us--"

I got no further, for with a sudden exclamation--it sounded more like
a growl than anything else--Tommy had risen from his chair.

"And do you mean to tell me that, if it hadn't been for Joyce, you
wouldn't have come! By Gad, Neil, if I wasn't so glad to see you
I'd--I'd--" Words failed him, and gripping hold of my hands again he
wrung them with a force that made me wince.

Then, suddenly dropping them, he started to stride about the room.
"Lord, what a yarn!" he exclaimed. "What a hell of a yarn!"

"Well, I told you it was," I said, nursing my crushed fingers.

"I knew something had happened. I knew at least that you weren't going
to be taken alive; but this--" He stopped short in front of me and
once more gazed incredulously into my face. "I wouldn't know you from
the Angel Gabriel!" he added.

"Except that he's clean shaven," I said. Then I paused. "Look here,
Tommy," I went on seriously, "what are we going to do about Joyce? I'm
all right, you see. There's nothing to prevent me clearing out of the
country directly I've finished with McMurtrie. If I choose to go and
break George's neck, that's my own business. I am not going to have
you and Joyce mixed up in the affair."

Tommy sat down on the edge of the table. "My dear chap,"