"I am sure," I told him, "that Mr. Wymans' advice is sound. If the case goes into court and comes up before the committee--even of a rotten club like the Sidney--I am afraid you would have to withdraw your membership from the other places; and you might find the affair continually cropping up and causing you annoyance." Mr. Bundercombe heaved a mighty sigh. "Well, we've got two days left," he said. "If nothing happens before then I'll pay up." * * * * * Mr. Bundercombe rang me up on the morning of the last day appointed for his decision. "We've got a conference on, Paul," he announced dejectedly. "Will you come round here for me at a quarter to eleven?" I assented, and arrived at the house in Prince's Gardens a few minutes before that time. Eve met me in the hall. "Please tell me, dear," she begged, as she drew me into the morning room, "why daddy is so low-spirited!" "It isn't anything serious," I assured her. "It's just a little trouble arising from one of his adventures. We shall get out of it all right." "Poor daddy!" she exclaimed. "I am sure he has had no sleep for two nights. I heard him walking up and down his room." "Well, it will all be over to-day," I promised. "After all, it only means a little money." "Daddy does so hate to get the worst of anything," she sighed; "and I am afraid, from the looks of his face, that this time he's in a fix." "I am afraid so, too," I agreed. "Never mind; we have done the best we can, and we are going to settle it up once and for all to-day. Perhaps he'll tell you about it afterward." We heard a door slam and Mr. Bundercombe's voice. "He is asking for you," Eve whispered. "Hurry along and come back as soon as you've got this business over." I found Mr. Bundercombe exceedingly chastened, but in all other respects his usual self. "We are calling for Mr. Wymans," he said, "in Lincoln's Inn Fields, and afterward we are going round to Mrs. Delaporte's flat. We are going to meet Bannister there and his lawyer." "Why do we concern ourselves in the matter at all?" I asked as we drove off. "I don't see why we can't leave the lawyers to do this final settlement." Mr. Bundercombe shook his head. "You leave too much to lawyers in this country," he remarked. "We generally like to see the thing through ourselves over at home, even if we take a lawyer along. This is an unpleasant business, if you like; but there's no good in shirking it." We called for Mr. Wymans and drove on to Mrs. Delaporte's flat. We were at once admitted into an overheated and overperfumed room and found Captain Bannister, Mrs. Delaporte, and Mr. Cheape awaiting us. Their demeanor betokened anxiety. Mrs. Delaporte alone made a little conversation; and, the habits of a lifetime asserting themselves, she made eyes at Mr. Bundercombe.