n steps crossing the
drawing-room. Those light steps always suggested a slight frame, and, as
always, Flora was re-surprised at his bulk as now it appeared between
the parted curtains, the dull black and sharp white of his evening
clothes topped by his square, fresh-colored face.

[Illustration: YES, HE WAS MAGNIFICENT, SHE THOUGHT.]

"Well, Flora," he said, "I know I'm late," and took the hand she held to
him from where she sat. Her face danced with pleasure. Yes, he was
magnificent, she thought, as he crossed with his light stride to Mrs.
Britton's chair. He could even stand the harsh lines and lights of
evening clothes. He dominated their ugly convention with his height,
his face so ruddy and fresh under the pale brown of his hair, his alert,
assured, deft movement. His high good nature had the effect of
sweetening for him even Clara Britton's flavorless manner. The "We were
speaking of you," with which she saw him to his seat, had all the warmth
of a smile, but a smile far in the background of Flora's immediate
possession. Indeed, Flora had seldom had so much to say to Harry as at
this moment of her excitement over what he had actually seen. For the
evidence that he had seen something was vivid in his face. She had never
found him so splendidly alive. She had never seen him, it came to her,
quite like this before.

She shook the paper at him. "Tell us everything, instantly!"

He gaily acknowledged her right to make him thus stand and deliver. He
shot his hands into the air with the lightening vivacity that was in him
a sort of wit. "Not guilty," he grinned at her.

"Harry, you know you were in it. The papers have you the most important
personage."

"Oh, not all that," he denied her allegation. "They had the whole lot of
us cooped up together for investigation for as much as two hours. I
thought I shouldn't have time to dress! I'm as hungry as a hawk!" He
rolled it out with the full gusto with which he was by this time engaged
on his first course.

"Poor dear," said Flora with cooing mock-sympathy, "and did they starve
it? But would it mind telling us, now that it has its food, what is
true, and what was the gallant part it played this afternoon?"

"Well," he followed her whimsical lead, "the chief detective and I were
the star performers. I found the ring wasn't there, and he found he
couldn't find it."

"Don't you know any more than the paper?" Flora mourned.

"Considerably less--if I know the papers."