was out. He went to Claridge's in inquire for Miss Van Tuyn.
On ascertaining that she was not at home he sent up his name to
Miss Cronin, who was practically always in the house. At any rate,
Braybrooke, who had met her several times at Miss Van Tuyn's apartment
in Paris, had understood so from herself. If Miss Van Tuyn needed her as
a chaperon she was, of course, to be counted upon to risk taking air and
exercise. Otherwise, as she frankly said, she preferred to stay quietly
at home. By nature she was sedentary. Her temperament inclined her to
a sitting posture, which, however, she frequently varied by definitely
lying down.

On this occasion Miss Cronin was as usual in the house, and begged that
Mr. Braybrooke would come up. He found her in an arm-chair--she had just
vacated a large sofa--with Bourget's "_Le Disciple_" in her hand. Her
eyebrows were rather dim, for she had caught a slight London cold which
had led her to neglect them. But she was looking mildly cheerful, and
was very glad to have a visitor. Though quite happy alone with Bourget
she was always ready for a comfortable gossip; and she liked Francis
Braybrooke.

After a few words about the cold, Bourget and Paris, Braybrooke turned
the conversation to Miss Van Tuyn. He had understood that she meant only
to make a short stay in London, and rather wondered about the change of
plans which had brought Miss Cronin across the Channel. Miss Cronin, he
soon discovered, was rather wondering too.

"Beryl seems to have been quite got hold of by London," she observed
with mild surprise.

After a pause she added:

"It may be--mind I don't say it is, but it may be--the Wallace
Collection."

"The Wallace Collection?" said Braybrooke.

"I believe she goes there every day. It is in Manchester Square, isn't
it?"

"Oh, yes."

"Then I think it must be that. Because two or three times lately I have
heard her mention Manchester Square as if it were very much on her mind.
Once I remember her saying that Manchester Square was worth all the rest
of London put together! And another time she said that Manchester square
ought to be in Paris. That struck me as very strange, but after making
inquiries I found that the Wallace Collection was situated there, or
near there."

"Hertford House is in the Square."

"Then it is that. You know how wrapped up Beryl is in that kind of
thing. And, of course, she knows all the Paris collections by heart. Is
the Wallace Collection l