The following day, which was Wednesday, we went to a solicitor, and laid the case before him, and he instituted inquiries among all the lodging- house keepers in Scarborough, with the result that on Thursday afternoon McQuae was restored (after the manner of an Adelphi hero in the last act) to his home and wife. I asked him next time I met him what she had said. "Oh, much what I expected," he replied. But he never told me what he had expected. A CHARMING WOMAN "Not _the Mr. ---_, _really_?" In her deep brown eyes there lurked pleased surprise, struggling with wonder. She looked from myself to the friend who introduced us with a bewitching smile of incredulity, tempered by hope. He assured her, adding laughingly, "The only genuine and original," and left us. "I've always thought of you as a staid, middle-aged man," she said, with a delicious little laugh, then added in low soft tones, "I'm so very pleased to meet you, really." The words were conventional, but her voice crept round one like a warm caress. "Come and talk to me," she said, seating herself upon a small settee, and making room for me. I sat down awkwardly beside her, my head buzzing just a little, as with one glass too many of champagne. I was in my literary childhood. One small book and a few essays and criticisms, scattered through various obscure periodicals had been as yet my only contributions to current literature. The sudden discovery that I was the Mr. Anybody, and that charming women thought of me, and were delighted to meet me, was a brain- disturbing thought. "And it was really you who wrote that clever book?" she continued, "and all those brilliant things, in the magazines and journals. Oh, it must be delightful to be clever." She gave breath to a little sigh of vain regret that went to my heart. To console her I commenced a laboured compliment, but she stopped me with her fan. On after reflection I was glad she had--it would have been one of those things better expressed otherwise. "I know what you are going to say," she laughed, "but don't. Besides, from you I should not know quite how to take it. You can be so satirical." I tried to look as though I could be, but in her case would not. She let her ungloved hand rest for an instant upon mine. Had she left it there for two, I should have gone down on my knees before her, or have stood on my head at her feet--have made a fool of myself in some way or another before the whole room full. She timed it to a nicety.