e," said Winton sourly; and he told Adams about the
misunderstanding in the lobby of the Buckingham. His friend whistled
under his breath. "By Jove! that's pretty rough. Do you suppose the
Rajah dictated any such Lucretia Borgia thing as that?"

Winton took time to think about it and admitted a doubt, as he had not
before. Believing Mr. Somerville Darrah fit for treasons, stratagems,
and spoils in his official capacity of vice-president of a fighting
corporation, he was none the less disposed to find excuses for Miss
Virginia Carteret's uncle.

"I did think so at first, but I guess it was only the misguided zeal
of some understrapper. Of course, word has gone out all along the
C. G. R. line that we are to be delayed by every possible expedient."

But Adams shook his head.

"Mr. Darrah dictated that move in his own proper person."

"How do you know that?"

"You had a message from me this afternoon?"

"I did."

"What did you think of it?"

"I thought you might have left out the first part of it; also that you
might have made the latter half a good bit more explicit."

A slow smile spread itself over Adams' impassive face.

"Every man has his limitations," he said. "I did the best I could. But
the Rajah knew very well what he was about--otherwise there would have
been no telegram."

Winton sent the Chinaman out for another cup of tea before he said,
"Did Miss Carteret come here alone?"

"Oh, no; Calvert came with her."

"What brought them here?"

Adams spread his hands.

"What makes any woman do precisely the most unexpected thing?"

Winton was silent for a moment. Finally he said: "I hope you did what
you could to make it pleasant for her."

"I did. And I didn't hear her complain."

"That was low-down in you, Morty."

Adams chuckled reminiscently. "Had to do it to make my day-before-yesterday
lie hold water. And she was immensely taken with the scrawls, especially
with one of them."

Winton flushed under the bronze.

"I suppose I don't need to ask which one."

Adams' grin was a measure of his complacence.

"Well, hardly."

"She took it away with her?"

"Took it, or tore it up, I forget which."

"Tell me, Morty, was she very angry?"

The other took the last hint of laughter out of his eyes before he
said solemnly: "You'll never know how thankful I was that you were
twenty miles away."

Winton's cup was full, and he turned the talk abruptly to the
industrial doings and accomplishments