"Look here," I cried, "don't talk blithering rot! The thing's
impossible! You know it as well as I do!"
He shook his head.
"Well, what about Mrs. Jones?" he said obstinately.
"Mrs. Jones," I repeated, "is the victim of the same disease that
you're suffering from--common or garden hysteria. No doubt she was
listening at the door, and overheard your tomfool nonsense with that
ridiculous monkey. Being a highly strung, passionate sort of
woman----"
Bruce cut me short.
"Jones," he said, "is always complaining that she's too cold."
"Cold!" I groaned. "Oh, Lord!"
"So it couldn't be that," he added.
"Well, if it isn't that," I said, "what the blazes is it? You don't
seriously expect me to believe in black magic and Mumbo Jumbo and all
that sort of bunkum, do you?"
Bruce scratched his ear.
"I don't know," he said unhappily.
We sat in silence as the cab ran on, each of us staring out of the
window on our respective sides. It was not until we were halfway up
Tottenham Court Road that I suddenly noticed the time. There was a
big clock outside one of the furniture shops, and the hands were
pointing to half-past two. I called Bruce's attention to the fact.
"Cynthia won't have finished her lunch yet," I said. "We had better
get out at Piccadilly Circus and walk up. Or perhaps you'd rather go
alone?"
"No," he answered eagerly; "I want you to come. You needn't stay,
you know, but I'd like you just to come and see what happens."
"All right," I said, with a laugh. "I may as well see you through
now I've begun. If Cynthia starts embracing you, I'll leave the
room."
"Oh, don't joke about it!" said Bruce nervously.
The cab swerved its way through the traffic in Piccadilly Circus, and
drew up with a jerk opposite Swan and Edgar's. We got out, and I
handed the man a sovereign which I had ready.
He took it with a friendly smile.
"Thank ye, sir," he said, "an' good luck."
"It's my cab," said Bruce, as we turned into Regent Street.
"Very well," I answered, "we won't fight about it. You can pay me as
soon as your green monkey pushes along those six millions."
By this time we were just opposite the entrance to the Piccadilly
Hotel. As we passed, the door swung open, and a handsome woman,
dressed in a long sable cloak, stepped out on to the pavement. In
the roadway opposite, a liveried manservant was holding open the door
of a smart electric brougham.
At the sight of us she paused, and her lips parted in one of the
sweetest smiles I have ever seen. We both took off our hats, but as
Bruce made no attempt to stop I walked on with him.
"Who is she?" I whispered.
He stared at me.
"I don't know," he said. "I thought she was a friend of yours."
"Never seen her in my life," I answered. "I wonder who she took us
for?"