ping back almost at once, so I looked you up in the
telephone book and took a chance. I'm dashed glad you _are_ back. When
did you arrive?"

"This afternoon."

"I've been here two or three days. Well, it's a bit of luck catching
you. You see, what I want to ask your advice about...."

Wally looked at his watch. He was not surprised to find that Jill had
taken to flight. He understood her feelings perfectly, and was anxious
to get rid of the inopportune Freddie as soon as possible.

"You'll have to talk quick, I'm afraid," he said. "I've lent this
place to a man for the evening, and he's having some people to dinner.
What's the trouble?"

"It's about Jill."

"Jill?"

"Jill Mariner, you know. You remember Jill? You haven't forgotten my
telling you all that? About her losing her money and coming over to
America?"

"No. I remember you telling me that."

Freddie seemed to miss something in his companion's manner, some note
of excitement and perturbation.

"Of course," he said, as if endeavouring to explain this to himself,
"you hardly knew her, I suppose. Only met once since you were kids and
all that sort of thing. But I'm a pal of hers and I'm dashed upset by
the whole business, I can tell you. It worries me, I mean to say. Poor
girl, you know, landed on her uppers in a strange country. Well, I
mean, it worries me. So the first thing I did when I got here was to
try to find her. That's why I came over, really, to try to find her.
Apart from anything else, you see, poor old Derek is dashed worried
about her."

"Need we bring Underhill in?"

"Oh, I know you don't like him and think he behaved rather rummily and
so forth, but that's all right now."

"It is, is it?" said Wally drily.

"Oh, absolutely. It's all on again."

"What's all on again?"

"Why, I mean he wants to marry Jill. I came over to find her and tell
her so."

Wally's eyes glowed.

"If you have come over as an ambassador...."

"That's right. Jolly old ambassador. Very word I used myself."

"I say, if you have come over as an ambassador with the idea of
reopening negotiations with Jill on behalf of that infernal swine...."

"Old man!" protested Freddie, pained. "Pal of mine, you know."

"If he is, after what's happened, your mental processes are beyond
me."

"My what, old son?"

"Your mental processes."

"Oh, ah!" said Freddie, learning for the first time that he had any.

Wally looked at him intently. There was a curious expre