"There speaks my stout-hearted haricot!" said Percival. "But be careful. Teddy won't like it if he gets the wrong wife. He made a point of that. So in case we miss each other your instructions are briefly these: you will meet what you honestly think to be Mrs. Roker outside the Customs House, explain Teddy's absence, take her to his rooms at 10 _bis_, Rue Dufay, make her comfortable and report to me here at 6.15." Punctually at 6.15 they met again in the Pâtisserie Delarue. Both were radiant. "'Tis done!" said Percival proudly; "and without the assistance of the puissant Frederick. At 5.0 o'clock I was outside the Customs House and saw her looking round with an anxious eye. 'Mrs. Roker, I believe?' said I. She confessed right away, so I rattled her off in a cab to 10 _bis_, Rue Dufay, and left her there nibblin' biscuits and drinkin' tea as happy as a flapper." "Percival," replied Frederick slowly, "for sheer imbecility you have surpassed yourself. I myself met Mrs. Roker outside the Customs House at 5.30, being detained _en route_. I took her to 10 _bis_, Rue Dufay, where at the present moment she is partaking of coffee and chocolate caramels. Shortly, no doubt, she will discover the spurious female that you have decoyed thither and the First Act of a triangle drama will be rung up." "By Jazz," exclaimed Percival, "I'd stake my gratuity on the genuineness of my Mrs. Roker. She knows Teddy's favourite breakfast food." "No," said Frederick decidedly, "mine is the only authentic article. All others are imitations. She knows dearest Edward's size in gloves." "Well, we can't both be right." "Did Teddy say anything about expecting _two_ wives?" asked Frederick hopefully. "Idiot!" said Percival. "As I see the situation, one of us--presumably you--will presently be the central figure in a court-martial or police court on a charge of abducting an innocent female. The remaining reels in the film will be devoted to Teddy chasing you with a 5·9 howitzer for jeopardizing his connubial happiness. But these unhappy concluding incidents may be averted if you return the wrongful lady to her rightful owner before Teddy gets back. So we'll take the necessary action immediately." "But which one are we going to discard if they both claim to be the genuine Mrs. R.? Hadn't we better wait for Teddy? He'd be almost sure to be able to decide." "You make me tired. It's got to be settled before he comes back." It was a brace of dejected subalterns that wended their way to 10 _bis_, Rue Dufay. Percival knocked at the door of the drawing-room and in response to an invitation they entered. A pretty and extremely composed young lady greeted them. "_My_ wife!" said Percival and Frederick simultaneously. "Excuse me," said the lady with dignity; "the only husband I possess at present is Mr. Roker." "What I mean to say is," explained Percival lamely, "that you are the wife of Mr. Roker that I met at the Customs--I mean, Mr. Roker's wife that--"