."

"I will not be made love to in a restaurant," she declared firmly.

"You are so particular as to localities," he complained. "You could
not see your way clear, I suppose, to suggest what you would consider a
suitable environment?"

Philippa looked at him for a moment very earnestly.

"Ah, don't let us play at things we neither of us feel!" she begged.
"And there is some one there who wants to speak to you."

Lessingham looked up into the face of the man who had paused before
their table, as one might look into the face of unexpected death. He
remained perfectly still, but the slight colour seemed slowly to
be drawn from his cheeks. Yet the newcomer himself seemed in no way
terrifying. He was tall and largely built, clean-shaven, and with
the humourous mouth of an Irishman or an American. Neither was there
anything threatening in his speech.

"Glad to run up against you, Lessingham," he said, holding out his hand.
"Gay crowd here tonight, isn't it?"

"Very," Lessingham answered, speaking very much like a man in a dream.
"Lady Cranston, will you permit me to introduce my friend--Mr. Hayter."

Philippa was immediately gracious, and a few moments passed in trivial
conversation. Then Mr. Hayter prepared to depart.

"I must be joining my friends," he observed. "Look in and see me
sometime, Lessingham--Number 72, Milan Court. You know what a nightbird
I am. Perhaps you will call and have a final drink with me when you have
finished here."

"I shall be very glad," Lessingham promised.

Mr. Hayter passed on, a man, apparently, of many acquaintances, to judge
by his interrupted progress. Lady Cranston looked at her companion. She
was puzzled.

"Is that a recent acquaintance," she asked, "as he addressed you by the
name of Lessingham?"

"Yes," was the quiet reply.

"You don't wish to talk about him?"

"No!"

Helen and her partner returned, a few moments later, and the little
party presently broke up. Lessingham drove the two women to their hotel
in Dover Street.

"We've had a most delightful evening," Philippa assured him, as they
said good night. "You are coming round to see us in the morning, aren't
you?"

"If I may," Lessingham assented.

Helen found her way into Philippa's room, later on that night. She had
nerved herself for a very thankless task.

"May I sit down for a few moments?" she asked, a little nervously. "Your
fire is so much better than mine."

Philippa glanced at her friend through