Then a cat had slipped into his bedroom and kittened on his best suit of clothes; and Fernandez, the picture dealer to whom he had taken the John the Baptist on the top of a four-wheeler, had offered him five pounds ten for it; and, worst of all, driven by necessity, he had not haggled, but had taken the five pounds ten, thus for ever ruining himself with Fernandez, who had been quite prepared to pay fifteen. The Captain, who had suddenly come in for a windfall of eighty pounds, was going on like a millionaire--haunting the studio half-tipsy, profuse with offers of assistance and drinks, and, to cap all, the weather was torrid. The only consolation was Verneede, who would listen for hours to the praises of Miss Lambert, nodding his head like a Chinese mandarin and smoking Leavesley's cigarettes. "I don't know what to do," said the unhappy young man, during one of these conferences, "I don't know what to do. It's so unlike her." "Write again." "Not I--at least, how can I? If she won't answer _that_ letter there's no use in writing any more." "Call." "I'm not going to creep round like a dog that has been beaten." "True." "She may be ill, for all I know. How do I know that she is not ill?" "Illness, my dear Leavesley, is one of those things----" "I know--but the question is, how am I to find out?" "Could you not apply to their family physician? I should go to him, frankly----" "But I don't know who their doctor is--do talk sense. See here! could _you_ call and ask--ask did she get home all right, and that sort of thing?" "Most certainly, with pleasure, if it would relieve your feelings. Anything--anything I can do, my dear Leavesley, in an emergency like this you can count on me to do." "You needn't mention my name." "I shall carefully abstain." "Unless she asks, you know." "Certainly, unless she asks." "Armbruster came in this morning, he's going to America. He's got on to a big firm for book illustrating; he wanted me to go with him and try my luck--offered to pay the expenses. You might hint, perhaps, if the subject turns up, that you think I am going to America." "Certainly." "When can you go?" "Any time." "You might go now, for I'm awfully anxious to hear if she is all right. What's the time? Two--yes--if you go now you will get there about four." "Highgate?" "Yes--'The Laurels,' John's Road. Have you any money?" "Unfortunately I am rather unprovided with the necessary----" "Wait." Leavesley went to a little jug on the mantel and turned the contents of it into his hand. "Here's five shillings; will that be enough?" "Ample." "Now go, like a good fellow, and do come back here straight." "As an arrow." "Don't say anything about my letter." "Not a word, not a word." Mr Verneede departed, and the painter went on with his painting, feeling very much as Noah must have felt when the dove flew out of the Ark.