, I should not like to see
her in Mrs. Vandemeyer's service. I felt it incumbent on me just to give
you a hint. It is no place for a young and inexperienced girl. That is
all I can tell you."

"I see," said Tuppence thoughtfully. "Thank you very much. But I'm not
REALLY inexperienced, you know. I knew perfectly that she was a bad lot
when I went there--as a matter of fact that's WHY I went----" She broke
off, seeing some bewilderment on the lawyer's face, and went on: "I
think perhaps I'd better tell you the whole story, Sir James. I've a
sort of feeling that you'd know in a minute if I didn't tell the truth,
and so you might as well know all about it from the beginning. What do
you think, Julius?"

"As you're bent on it, I'd go right ahead with the facts," replied the
American, who had so far sat in silence.

"Yes, tell me all about it," said Sir James. "I want to know who Tommy
is."

Thus encouraged Tuppence plunged into her tale, and the lawyer listened
with close attention.

"Very interesting," he said, when she finished. "A great deal of what
you tell me, child, is already known to me. I've had certain theories
of my own about this Jane Finn. You've done extraordinarily well so
far, but it's rather too bad of--what do you know him as?--Mr. Carter to
pitchfork you two young things into an affair of this kind. By the
way, where did Mr. Hersheimmer come in originally? You didn't make that
clear?"

Julius answered for himself.

"I'm Jane's first cousin," he explained, returning the lawyer's keen
gaze.

"Ah!"

"Oh, Sir James," broke out Tuppence, "what do you think has become of
Tommy?"

"H'm." The lawyer rose, and paced slowly up and down. "When you arrived,
young lady, I was just packing up my traps. Going to Scotland by the
night train for a few days' fishing. But there are different kinds of
fishing. I've a good mind to stay, and see if we can't get on the track
of that young chap."

"Oh!" Tuppence clasped her hands ecstatically.

"All the same, as I said before, it's too bad of--of Carter to set you
two babies on a job like this. Now, don't get offended, Miss--er----"

"Cowley. Prudence Cowley. But my friends call me Tuppence."

"Well, Miss Tuppence, then, as I'm certainly going to be a friend. Don't
be offended because I think you're young. Youth is a failing only too
easily outgrown. Now, about this young Tommy of yours----"

"Yes." Tuppence clasped her hands.

"Frankly, things look bad for