ant the right to look after
you, and take care of you."

"That's what I want," said the girl wistfully. "Some one who'll be good
to me. Oh, you don't know how lonesome I feel!"

"Sure thing I do. Then I guess that's all fixed up, and I'll see the
archbishop about a special license to-morrow morning."

"Oh, Julius!"

"Well, I don't want to hustle you any, Jane, but there's no sense in
waiting about. Don't be scared--I shan't expect you to love me all at
once."

But a small hand was slipped into his.

"I love you now, Julius," said Jane Finn. "I loved you that first moment
in the car when the bullet grazed your cheek...."

Five minutes later Jane murmured softly:

"I don't know London very well, Julius, but is it such a very long way
from the Savoy to the Ritz?"

"It depends how you go," explained Julius unblushingly. "We're going by
way of Regent's Park!"

"Oh, Julius--what will the chauffeur think?"

"At the wages I pay him, he knows better than to do any independent
thinking. Why, Jane, the only reason I had the supper at the Savoy was
so that I could drive you home. I didn't see how I was ever going to
get hold of you alone. You and Tuppence have been sticking together
like Siamese twins. I guess another day of it would have driven me and
Beresford stark staring mad!"

"Oh. Is he----?"

"Of course he is. Head over ears."

"I thought so," said Jane thoughtfully.

"Why?"

"From all the things Tuppence didn't say!"

"There you have me beat," said Mr. Hersheimmer. But Jane only laughed.

In the meantime, the Young Adventurers were sitting bolt upright,
very stiff and ill at ease, in a taxi which, with a singular lack of
originality, was also returning to the Ritz via Regent's Park.

A terrible constraint seemed to have settled down between them. Without
quite knowing what had happened, everything seemed changed. They were
tongue-tied--paralysed. All the old camaraderie was gone.

Tuppence could think of nothing to say.

Tommy was equally afflicted.

They sat very straight and forbore to look at each other.

At last Tuppence made a desperate effort.

"Rather fun, wasn't it?"

"Rather."

Another silence.

"I like Julius," essayed Tuppence again.

Tommy was suddenly galvanized into life.

"You're not going to marry him, do you hear?" he said dictatorially. "I
forbid it."

"Oh!" said Tuppence meekly.

"Absolutely, you understand."

"He doesn't want to marry me--he really only asked