ly and
away again. Jimmy's face was twitching. If he had been a woman one
would have said that he was on the verge of an hysterical outburst.
Sangster rose to the occasion.

"Let's go and get a drink," he said prosaically. "I'm as dry as dust
and we haven't had any lunch."

Jimmy said he wasn't hungry, that he couldn't eat a morsel of anything
if it were to save his life. He broke out again into a fresh torrent
of abuse of Kettering. He cursed him up hill and down dale. Even when
they were in the restaurant to which Sangster insisted on going he
could not stop Jimmy's flow of expletives. One or two people lunching
near looked at them in amazement. In desperation Sangster ordered a
couple of brandies; he forced Jimmy to drink one. Presently he quieted
a little. He sat with his elbows on the table and his head in his
hands. With the passing of his passionate rage, depression seemed to
have gripped him. He was sullen and morose, he would not answer when
Sangster spoke to him; when they left the restaurant he insisted on
going back to Christine's hotel.

He questioned the porter closely. Where had she gone? Had they driven
away together or walked?

They had had a taxi, the man told him. He began to look rather
alarmed; there was something in Jimmy's white face and burning eyes
that meant mischief, he thought. He told the "Boots" afterwards: "We
shall hear more of this--you mark _my_ words."

"A taxi--yes. . . . Go on." Jimmy moistened his dry lips. "You--you
didn't hear where--what directions? . . ."

"Yes, sir. The gentleman told me to say Euston, told me to tell the
driver to go to Euston, I mean, sir----" the man explained in
confusion. He was red in the face now and embarrassed.

"Euston," said Jimmy and Sangster together. They looked at one
another, Jimmy with a sort of dread in his eyes, Sangster with anxiety.

"Yes, sir. Euston it was, I'm sure. And the gentleman told me to tell
the driver to go as fast as he could."

There was a little silence. Sangster slipped a hand through Jimmy's
arm.

"Thanks--thanks very much," he said. He led Jimmy away.

He called a taxi and told the man to drive to Jimmy's rooms. He made
no attempt to speak, did not know what to say. Jimmy was leaning back
with closed eyes.

Presently:

"Do you think she's gone?" he asked huskily.

Sangster made a hurried gesture of denial:

"No, no."

Jimmy laughed mirthlessly.

"She has," he said. "I kn