seated herself on the edge of the bed
and waited patiently while I took a couple of turns up and down the
room.

"Joyce," I said, "I deserve kicking. I'm not sure I haven't messed up
the whole business."

"Tell me," she said quietly. "I know about Latimer already; I saw
Tommy at the flat this morning."

"Well, that simplifies things," I said; and without wasting any
further time in self-reproaches, I plunged straight into the story of
Sonia's surprise visit and its abrupt and spirited ending.

"How I could have been such an ass I don't know," I finished ruefully.
"I must have put the letter down on the table after I'd done reading
it, and there I suppose it was sitting the whole time."

Joyce, who had listened to me without interrupting, nodded her head.
"It was just one of those things that had got to happen," she said
philosophically. "It's no good worrying now. The thing is, what are we
to do about it?"

I thought for a moment.

"We must let Latimer know at once," I said. "I'll write out what Sonia
told me--just the main facts, and you must take the letter straight up
to London, and find him as soon as you can. I shall stop here, as he
asked me to."

Joyce's face looked a little troubled.

"What do you think Sonia will do?" she asked.

"Goodness knows!" I said. "She seemed to have some particularly
unpleasant intention at the back of her mind; but I don't quite see
what it is."

"She won't care what she does," said Joyce. "I know exactly how she
feels. Suppose she were to go to the police?"

"She could hardly do that," I objected. "She'd be incriminating
herself."

"But suppose she does," persisted Joyce. "Suppose they come and arrest
you here; Latimer won't be able to help you then."

"I can't go back now, Joyce," I said seriously. "I can't get out of
it just because it might be dangerous to me. After all, it's England
they're scheming against."

"And what if it is?" she returned indignantly. "A nice way England's
treated you!"

I came over to the bed and took her hands in mine.

"Come, Joyce," I said, "you don't really mean that. I want
encouraging, not depressing. All my natural instincts are to look
after myself and let England go to the devil."

Half laughing and half crying, she jumped up and threw her arms round
me.

"No, no, no," she said. "I want you to do the right thing always; but
oh, Neil, I'm so frightened of losing you. I just can't do without you
now."

"Well," I said, "