"You will have to wait until I get them, then," was the anxious reply. "I only brought two hundred and fifty with me." The comedian shook his head. "There can be no question of waiting," he decided. "If two hundred and fifty guineas is all that you have with you, then the box must go to the other gentleman for three hundred guineas." "If we'd only thought of mentioning the matter of cash before," Jocelyn Thew said pleasantly, "it seems to me that I might have saved a little money. However, I don't grudge it to the cause." There was a little murmur of applause, and before any further word could be said, the auctioneer's hammer dropped. Jocelyn Thew stepped up to his side and counted out three hundred guineas in notes, receiving in return the admission ticket for the box. The comedian shook hands with him. "A very generous contribution, sir," he declared. "I shall do myself the pleasure of remembering it to-night." Jocelyn Thew made some suitable reply and strolled leisurely off, his eyes searching everywhere for his unsuccessful rival. He found him at last in the main avenue, on his way to the principal exit, and touched him on the shoulder. "One moment, sir," he begged. The young man paused. When he saw who his interlocutor was, however, he attempted to hurry on. "You will excuse me," he began, "I am pressed for time." "I will walk with you as far as the gate," Jocelyn Thew said. "I am very curious concerning your bidding for Box A. Can't you let me know for whom you were trying to buy it? It is possible that I might feel inclined to resell." "My instructions were to buy the box by auction, and to go up to five hundred pounds for it," was the somewhat hesitating reply. "I am unfortunately not in a position to divulge the name of my client." "You can at least tell me your own name, or the name of the firm whom you represent?" The young man quickened his pace. "I can tell you nothing," he said firmly. "Good afternoon!" Jocelyn Thew strolled thoughtfully back, made a few purchases wherever he was accosted, but had always the air of a man who is seeking to solve some problem. Issuing from one of the tents, he came suddenly face to face with Katharine and her brother. "You are too late for the auction," the latter declared, as they shook hands, "and you wouldn't have got your box, anyhow. Do you know what it fetched?" "Three hundred guineas," Jocelyn Thew replied with a smile. "I bought it at that." They both stared at him. "For three hundred guineas?" Richard repeated. "I was rather lucky to get it at that. There was an anonymous bidder who fortunately hadn't got the cash with him, or I gathered that he was willing to go to a great deal more." They stood for a moment in silence. Katharine laughed a little nervously. "What does it mean?" she asked.