“She said right out so that everybody could hear, ‘I’m going to talk to Bill for five minutes, over on that bench.’ She nodded toward a stone seat at the bottom of the lawn in plain sight, but out of earshot. ‘After that we’ll decide what we’re going to do next.’ She led young Grant off to the bench and they sat down on it with their backs to us. “There was some electricity in the air by then. I think that for a moment Applebury considered following her, but he changed his mind about it, and turned to Victoria. The others stayed together in a group, as if they didn’t know what to do nor where to look. “I looked frankly at the pair on the bench. They sat side by side, not very close together though, and talked without looking at each other. It didn’t last very long; less, I’m sure, than the five minutes Judy stipulated. Then she got up, turned away from him, still without a look, and came back toward us, he following. “She looked to me then a perfectly live girl. The second act of _The Tales of Hoffman_ was over. ‘It’s too late and too hot for tennis,’ she said. ‘Let’s all go for a swim in the pool.’ “I heard Grant speak to her just before they got within the hearing of the others. ‘I’ll think of something, yet,’ he said. She answered him over her shoulder for anybody to hear that might. ‘All right, if you can.’ He’d got over his surprise at all events and seemed to be coming to life again, himself. “He went into the pool with the others. So did Judy. So did everybody except Punch and Bruce Applebury. One of the bridesmaids made quite a point of it that Punch should go in; a personal appeal. But he refused regretfully, and I knew why. His bathing suit hadn’t any pocket in it. “I don’t know why Applebury didn’t go in. He looked hot and stuffy enough after his day in town. Unless....” Old Eagle-Eye’s face suddenly brightened and he slapped his lean old leg. “Unless, by George, he had the same reason that Punch had, only a better one. Do you suppose he had the real necklace in his pocket?” “Damn the necklace!” I cried. “Damn it by all means,” he agreed seriously. “But in the meantime we’d better be dressing for dinner. You’re going, aren’t you?” I told him dully that I didn’t think I would. But after he’d gone up-stairs to change his clothes and pack, a servant from The Oaks brought me a note from Judy that changed my mind. “You must come to-night,” it said. “Not that you can do anything, but I want you here.” CHAPTER X TRANSFORMATION SCENE What Judy thought she wanted of me at dinner that night I don’t know. Probably she didn’t know herself. She regarded me as an ally and may have reasoned that some unforeseen change in the pattern of things might make me useful. Or, more likely, she didn’t reason at all; just felt that she wanted me there, and sent for me.