_And so Herbert found himself in the street. Where should he go? What should he do ... say ... think ... feel...? He was quite unable to decide. Somehow he couldn't bring his mind to bear on the subject. He could hardly recall the name of the lady with whom he had been conversing, let alone what all the trouble was about. He paused and lit a cigarette. Absolutely there was nothing else for it._ "How are you getting on?" I asked Cecily a little peevishly. "Nicely, thanks," she answered. "And you?" "Oh, nicely, too," said I, with a sigh. _As for ~Whatshername~ Ermyntrude, she was in little better case. She felt as if nothing was ever going to happen to her again; almost, she thought, things had given up happening for good. She felt ... but she hardly knew what she felt. ~After all, love wasn't~ ~Maybe love was~ She could not bear to think of love. Engaged? That is what she had been but wasn't any longer. Who was to blame? Was it Herbert? Was it she? Was it ~Exchange~ Providence? The more thought she gave to the matter the further she seemed to be from a definite conclusion. ~At times it seemed as if~ ~At one time it appeared as though~ ~At one time~ ~At times~ ~At 2284 Mayfair~ ~Mayfair 2248~ ~2248 Mayfair~ ~Twice two is four, twice four is eight.~_ "Are you coming to the end of your friends?" I asked Cecily. "If I'm not wanted I'll go," said she snappily. "You're always wanted, of course," I apologised. "Then I'll stay," said she brightly. _CHAPTER LVIII._ _As Herbert turned his back on Kensington and walked towards ~Gerrard~ Piccadilly, he would, had he looked behind him, have seen a malevolent, sinister man emerge from the shadow and follow him stealthily. ~But Herbert did not look behind him.~ ~And why not?~ ~It is impossible to say.~ ~Suffice it that he didn't.~ Nay, that is exactly what Herbert did see when he looked behind him. "My God," said he, turning pale...._ "Can we dine with the Monroes on Tuesday?" asked Cecily. "That depends a good deal on whether they invite us," I answered. "It's only Jack trying to be funny," Cecily told the receiver. _"As I was saying," continued Herbert, "it's James MacClure."_ _"No less," said the other, with a fiendish smile._ _It is necessary to go back a little in order ~to property~ properly to appreciate the momentous importance of the arrival of this man at this juncture. He was destined to play a large part in Herbert's future; the manner of their acquaintance was this._ _~Many years ago McClure had~ ~James was the son of rich but~ ~Jas, as his college friends used to call~ ~McClure~ ~James~ Producing a revolver from his hip pocket, Herbert shot James McClure through the heart._ Cecily flapped about with the Directory. "Trying to find a number that you haven't used already?" I enquired. _~CHAPTER LIX.~_ _~Ermyntrude~_ _~CHAPTER LIX.~_ _~ERMYNTRUDE~_ _~CHAPTER LIX.~_ _~MINNIE~_ _CHAPTER LIX._