ear sir," answered the bank manager with a satisfied
smirk. "Every penny is there! Glorious!"

"This is most extraordinary!" said Sir Cresswell. "What on earth does it
all mean? If we could only trace that woman from the greengrocer's
place--"

But nothing came of an attempt to carry out this proposal, and no news
arrived from the police, and the evening had grown far advanced, and Mrs.
Greyle and Audrey, with Sir Cresswell, Mr. Petherton and Vickers,
Copplestone, and Gilling, were all in a private parlour together at a
late hour, when the door suddenly opened and a woman entered, who threw
back a heavy veil and revealed herself as Addie Chatfield.

CHAPTER XXXI

AMBASSADRESS EXTRAORDINARY

If Copplestone had never seen Addie Chatfield before, if he had not known
that she was an actress of some acknowledged ability, her entrance into
that suddenly silent room would have convinced him that here was a woman
whom nature had undoubtedly gifted with the dramatic instinct. Addie's
presentation of herself to the small and select audience was eminently
dramatic, without being theatrical. She filled the stage. It was as if
the lights had suddenly gone down in the auditorium and up in the
proscenium, as if a hush fell, as if every ear opened wide to catch a
first accent. And Addie's first accents were soft and liquid--and
accompanied by a smile which was calculated to soften the seven hearts
which had begun to beat a little quicker at her coming. With the smile
and the soft accent came a highly successful attempt at a shy and modest
blush which mounted to her cheek as she moved towards the centre table
and bowed to the startled and inquisitive eyes.

"I have come to ask--mercy!"

There was a faint sigh of surprise from somebody. Sir Cresswell Oliver,
only realizing that a pretty woman, had entered the room, made haste to
place a chair for her. But before Addie could respond to his
old-fashioned bow, Mr. Petherton was on his legs.

"Er!--I take it that this is the young wom--the Miss Chatfield of whom
we have had occasion to speak a good deal today," he said very stiffly.
"I think, Sir Cresswell--eh?"

"Yes," said Sir Cresswell, glancing from the visitor to the old lawyer.
"You think, Petherton--yes?"

"The situation is decidedly unpleasant," said Mr. Petherton, more icily
than ever. "Mr. Vickers will agree with me that it is most
unpleasant--and very unusual. The fact is--the police are now searching
for this