my sense of decency."

She took an envelope out of the desk and came back to her place at the
table. "I mean to drop it quite soon," she said calmly, "but I must
go tomorrow. George is on the point of being rather interesting." She
paused a moment. "He told me last night that he was expecting to get a
cheque for twelve thousand pounds."

"Twelve thousand pounds!" I echoed in astonishment.

"Where the Devil's he going to get it from?" demanded Tommy.

"That," said Joyce, "is exactly what I mean to find out. You see
George is at present under the impression that if he can convince me
he is speaking the truth I am coming away with him for a yachting
cruise in the Mediterranean. Well, tomorrow I am going to be
convinced--and it will have to be done very thoroughly."

Tommy gave a long whistle. "I wonder what dog's trick he's up to now.
He can't be getting the money straight: I know they've done nothing
there the last year."

"It would be interesting to find out," I admitted. "All the same,
Joyce, I don't see why you should do all the dirty work of the firm."

"It's my job for the minute," said Joyce cheerfully, "and none of the
firm's work is dirty to me."

She came across, and opening my coat, slipped the envelope which she
had taken out of her desk into my inner pocket. "I got those out of
the bank today," she said--"twenty five-pound notes. You had better
take them before we forget: you're sure to want some money."

Then, before I could speak, she picked up the second bottle of
champagne that Tommy had just opened, and filled up all three glasses.

"I like your description of us as the firm," she said; "don't you,
Tommy? Let's all drink a health to it!"

Tommy jumped to his feet and held up his glass. "The Firm!" he cried.
"And may all the fools who sent Neil to prison live to learn their
idiocy!"

I followed his example. "The Firm!" I cried, "and may everyone in
trouble have pals like you!"

Joyce thrust her arm through mine and rested her head against my
shoulder. "The Firm!" she said softly. Then, with a little break in
her voice, she added in a whisper: "And you don't really want Sonia,
do you, Neil?"

CHAPTER XV

A HUMAN "CATCH"

It's not often that the weather in England is really appropriate
to one's mood, but the sunshine that was streaming down into Edith
Terrace as I banged the front door at half-past eight the next morning
seemed to fit in exactly with my state of mind. I felt as