to keep any man with a complexion like
hers!"

They saw Mr. Gilman himself enter the hotel. He was very nervous and very
important. As soon as he caught sight of Miss Thompkins he said to the
door-keeper:

"Tell my chauffeur to wait."

He was punctiliously attentive to Miss Thompkins, and held her hand for two
seconds after he had practically finished with it.

"Are you ready, dear?" he said. "You'll be sorry to hear that my liver is
all wrong again. I knew it was because I slept so heavily."

These words were distinctly heard by Audrey herself.

"I think I'll slip upstairs now," she murmured to Madame Piriac. And
vanished, before Mr. Gilman had observed her presence.

She thought:

"How he has aged!"

Scarcely ten minutes later, when Audrey was upstairs in her sitting-room,
waiting idly for the luggage and her husband to arrive, and thinking upon
the case of Lady Southminster, the telephone bell rang out startlingly.

"Mr. Shinner to see you."

"Mr. Shinner? Oh! Mr. Shinner. Send him up, please."

This Mr. Shinner was the concert agent with connections in Paris whom
Audrey had first consulted in the enterprise of launching Musa upon the
French public. He was a large, dark man, black moustached and bearded, with
heavy limbs and features, and an opaque, pimpled skin. In spite of these
characteristics, he entered the room soft-footed as a fairy, ingratiating
as a dog aware of his own iniquity, reassuring as applause.

"Well, Mr. Shinner. But how did you know we were here? As a matter of fact
we aren't here. My husband has not arrived yet."

"Madam," said Mr. Shinner, "I happened to hear that you had telegraphed for
rooms, and as I was in the neighbourhood I thought I would venture to
call."

"But who told you we had telegraphed for rooms?"

"The manager is a good friend of mine, and as you are now famous----" Ah! I
have heard all about the German tour. I mean I have read about it. I
subscribe to the German musical papers. One must, in my profession. Also I
have had direct news from my correspondents in Germany. It was a triumph
there, was it not?"

"Yes," said Audrey. "After Dusseldorf. My husband did not make much
money----"

"That will not trouble you," Mr. Shinner smiled easily.

"But somebody did--the agents did."

"Perhaps not so much as you think, madam, if I may say so. Perhaps not so
much as you think. And we must all live--unfortunately. Has your husband
made any arrangements yet for Lon