' it fails?"

"Dat would be a peety--such a peety."

Hipps stood thinking for a moment.

"I've half a mind to turn on the girl again. Let her vamp the secret
out of him. We don't progress, you know. Say, you don't think they've
a line on where we've got him hid?"

Van Diest waved away the suggestion.

"No, no, no. S'all right. S'arranged too well."

"Then I'll trot up West and buy Auriole a lunch. What time tonight?"

"At nine o'clock."

"I'll be along."

He jumped into a taxi, drove round and collected Auriole and carried
her off to the Carlton Hotel. She seemed tired and lacklustre, a
circumstance he noted with some small annoyance.

"See here, kid," he said. "We've a big set piece scheduled for tonight
and you're a participant."

"I am."

"Sure. Our friend has proved a disappointment in the talking line."

For a moment a flash of enthusiasm burned in her eyes.

"The persecution has failed then?"

"It's early to say so but we've a notion it 'ud do no harm to
accelerate a trifle."

"You'd hardly dare torture him more than you've done already."

"We thought of trying out one or two new effects but supposing they
fail then it's up to you to take a hand."

"No," said Auriole, "no. You found me a failure before--let's leave it
at that. My part's ended."

"Haven't you kind o' forgotten something?"

"What?"

"My offer to you was made providing we pull off this deal. Failing
that it's cancelled."

Auriole's expression, seemed to go very flat indeed. There was a look
of disgust in her eyes.

"What do you want?"

"Maybe we shall call on you for the 'whisper and I shall hear' act.
It'd make a nice variety for Anthony after the shouting."

"You want me to make love to him?"

"Sure. And I'll try and govern my jealousy for a short stretch."

She was silent for a longish while, then she nodded.

"But only as a last resort," she insisted.

"That's a bet. Me and Van'll be trundling along in the Rolls about
ninish--care to join us?"

"No, I'll use the two seater."

"Back your fancy. But see here--no back sliding, mind. A hell of a
lot hangs on his being made to talk--a hell of a lot," he repeated
seriously.

"What do you mean?"

"Never do for a fine chap like him to die young."

"Die? You wouldn't dare."

"It's certain sure we wouldn't dare turn him out in the world again
after what's happened."

"Do you mean you'd----"

"Think it over."

And she thought it over wh