I really was not altogether sorry at first to notice the improvement in his spirits, though my sentiments changed when, a little later in the evening, the girl opposite left her place and came over to us. She greeted Mr. Bundercombe with the most brilliant of smiles and he held her hand quite as long as was necessary. He presented me and I learned that her name was Miss Blanche Spencer. "I must not stay long," she said, laughing. "The gentleman I am with is a sort of cousin of mine and we don't get on very well; but I mustn't be rude." Mr. Bundercombe and she seemed to have a good deal to say to each other and presently I noticed that their heads were drawing closer together. The girl dropped her voice. She was proposing something to which Mr. Bundercombe was listening with keen interest. I heard him sigh. "If it weren't for certain changes," he explained regretfully, "I guess I wouldn't hesitate a moment. But--" I heard a whispered reference to myself as his daughter's fiance and an allusion to the continued presence of his wife in London. She nodded sympathetically. "Now if there were any other way," Mr. Bundercombe concluded, "in which I could still further show my gratitude to you personally for a certain little matter, why I'm all for hearing about it. I consider the balance is still on my side." She laughed. "You're really rather a dear!" she declared. "Do you know I am thinking of starting in business for myself?" "Where, and what as?" Mr. Bundercombe inquired. I shook open an evening paper and heard no more. The girl's leavetaking, however, a few minutes later, was both reluctant and impressive. I felt it my duty to allude to the matter as soon as we were alone. "You know, sir," I said, "this helping young women to set up in business is a proceeding that's very likely to be misunderstood over here. I am not in the least sure that even Eve would quite approve." Mr. Bundercombe smiled the smile of a man of the world. "One can't tell one's womenkind everything!" he declared grandiloquently. I was a little puzzled. I felt convinced that Mr. Bundercombe was concealing something from me. "Furthermore," I continued, feeling it my duty to speak frankly to my future father-in-law, "a man of your position needs to be very careful when he has financial transactions with a good-looking young woman like Miss Blanche. The young lady herself might take advantage of it." Mr. Bundercombe appeared to be giving my words full consideration. "Well, well!" he said, a little vaguely. "We shall see. I don't mind telling you, though, Paul, that I would have nothing to say to her first suggestion--on your account, my boy. There's a scheme on foot in which her interesting companion is concerned, which needs financing. I haven't the least doubt that it is something entirely interesting--probably a mammoth jewel robbery or something of the sort."