I must start directly. There may be a night
train. Would you rather stop here a while?"

"No, no, let me see you through," he said good-naturedly. "I'm
interested. Perhaps he's going to fight a duel with the razors and
wants the parson for the other fellow! Perhaps he's made a bet to
shave a parson. Perhaps----"

But I was in no mood for joking. The telegram, so unlike Roger, and
yet so unmistakably his, in a way--I have often noted a curious
characteristic quality in telegrams--worried me. I wished I had got it
in time to make the train he mentioned. I wished I were in that
mysterious town. Suppose he had depended on me for it? Suppose he
needed me?

We drove down in silence. My man got out with me at the club and
smiled at the Gladstone the porter held out to me.

"There are the razors, anyhow," he said.

Richard had the name of the town for me, too (the town I prefer not to
tell you) and the next train that would make it: it left in fifteen
minutes.

"And it _is_ parson, sir--p-a-r-s-o-n: there's no mistake. Shall I
call you a cab, sir?"

I bit through my cigar with irritation.

"In heaven's name," I cried, "how am I to get a sensible parson in
fifteen minutes? In the first place, I don't believe there is such a
thing!"

"Hold on, there," said my friend suddenly, "there is, Jerrolds, for
I'm one, and you know it!"

I started at him. Who in the devil was he? Instinctively I began an
apology.

"I--I didn't recall at the moment----"

"Between you and me," he cut me short, "I'm just as well pleased that
you didn't, Jerrolds! The sooner we get through with all this white
choker and black coat business, the sooner we'll amount to something,
in my way of thinking. Well, seriously--will I do? Do you know anybody
better? Because I'll go, if you don't."

I grasped his offered hand.

"Heaven bless you," I thought, "whoever you are!" and, "All right," I
said shortly, "it's very kind of you. We'll have to hurry, I'm
afraid."

We had just time to jump for the last platform. I remember
apostrophising the Gladstone rather strongly as I fell on its metal
clasp, and glancing apologetically at my companion, but he was
tactfully deaf, and we found a seat together, by good luck, and
settled down for our hot and tiresome night.

I couldn't very well ask his name by that time, it would have been too
absurd. I trusted to Roger to get me out of that difficulty, for he
knew Roger, evidently, and me too, though not ver