Lady Tanagra looked at him with an expression that would have extracted a promise of help from St. Anthony himself. "Of course I will, me dear. I--I beg your pardon," stuttered Mr. Triggs. "Never mind, let it stand at that," said Lady Tanagra gaily. "I'm sure we're going to be friends, Mr. Triggs." "Knew it the moment I set eyes on you," said Mr. Triggs with conviction. "Well, we've got to arrange this affair for these young people," said Lady Tanagra with a wise air. "First of all we've got to prove to Patricia that she is really in love with Peter. If she's not in love with him, then we've got to make her in love with him. Do you understand?" Mr. Triggs nodded his head with an air that clearly said he was far from understanding. "Well, now," said Lady Tanagra. "Patricia knows only three people that know Peter. There is you, Godfrey Elton, and myself. Now if she's in love with him she will want to hear about him, and----" "But ain't she going to see 'im?" demanded Mr. Triggs incredulously. "No, she says that she doesn't want Peter ever to see her, write to her, telephone to her, or, as far as I can see, exist on the same planet with her." "But--but----" began Mr. Triggs. "It's no good reasoning with a woman, Mr. Triggs, we women are all as unreasonable as the Income Tax. Now if you'll do as you are told we will prove that Patricia is wrong." "Very well, me dear," began Mr. Triggs. "Now this is my plan," interrupted Lady Tanagra. "If Patricia really cares for Peter she will want to hear about him from friends. She will, very cleverly, as she thinks, lead up the conversation to him when she meets you, or when she meets Godfrey Elton, or when she meets me. Now what we have to do is just as carefully to avoid talking about him. Turn the conversation on to some other topic. Now we've all got to plot and scheme and plan like--like----" "Germans," interrupted Mr. Triggs. "Splendid!" cried Lady Tanagra, clapping her hands. "But why has she changed her mind?" asked Mr. Triggs. "You must never ask a woman why she changes her frock, or why she changes her mind, because she never really knows," said Lady Tanagra. "Probably she does it because she hasn't got anything else particular to do at the moment. Ah! here's Peter," she cried. Bowen came forward and shook hands cordially with Mr. Triggs. "This is splendid of you!" he said. "You'll lunch with us, of course." "Oh no, no," said Mr. Triggs. "I just ran in to--to----" "To get to know me," said Lady Tanagra with a smile. "Of course! That's it," cried Mr. Triggs, beaming. "I can't stop to lunch though, I'm afraid. I must be going to----" "Have you got a luncheon engagement?" asked Lady Tanagra. "Er--well, yes." "Please don't tell fibs, Mr. Triggs. You're not engaged to lunch with anybody, and you're going to lunch with us, so that's settled." "Why, bless my soul!" blew Mr. Triggs helplessly as he mopped his head with his handkerchief. "Why, bless my soul!"