adent stuff. I've been choosing my models badly. But--" he
paused, looking almost diffident for a moment.

"Yes?" said Sir Seymour.

"Perhaps, if we ever get to know each other a bit better, you'd let me
have a shy at you for a change?"

"That would be an honour," said Sir Seymour with a touch of his very
simple, courtly manner.

"In return you know for my letting in the detectives!" said Garstin,
with a laugh. "Hulloh!"

He had heard the bell ring downstairs.

"If it's our man!" he said, instinctively lowering his voice.

"Arabian! Are you expecting him?"

"No. But it's just as likely as not. Want to meet him?"

"I can hardly say that!" said Sir Seymour, looking suddenly, Garstin
thought, remarkably like a very well-bred ramrod.

"Well, then--"

"But it may be necessary." He hesitated obviously, then added: "If it
should be Arabian by chance, perhaps it would be as well if I did see
him."

"Just as you like."

"I'll stay if you will allow me," said Sir Seymour, with sudden
decision, like a man who had just overcome something.

The bell rang again.

"Can you act?" said Garstin, quickly.

"Sufficiently, I dare say," said Sir Seymour, with a very faint and grim
smile.

"Then you'd better! He can!"

And Garstin sprang down the stairs. Two or three minutes later Arabian
walked into the studio with Garstin just behind him. When he saw Sir
Seymour a slight look of surprise came into his face, and he half turned
towards Garstin as if in inquiry. Sir Seymour realized that Garstin had
not mentioned that there was a visitor in the studio.

"A friend of mine, Sir Seymour Portman," said Garstin. "Mr. Nicolas
Arabian!"

Arabian bowed and said formally:

"Very glad to meet you."

Sir Seymour bowed, and said:

"Thanks."

"Sit down, my boy!" said Garstin, with sudden heartiness, laying a hand
on Arabian's shoulder. "And I know you'll put your lips to a whisky."

"Thank you," said Arabian.

And he sat down in a deep arm-chair. Sir Seymour saw his brown eyes, for
a moment hard and inquiring, rest upon the visitor he had not expected
to find, and wondered whether Arabian remembered having seen him before.
If so Arabian would also remember that he, Seymour, was a friend of
Adela Sellingworth, who had been with him at the Ritz on that day ten
years ago.

"Say how much," said Garstin, coming up with the whisky.

Sir Seymour noticed that Arabian took a great deal of the spirit and
very little soda-water