"You've played smash, don't you know," I went on, tightening my glass. "Awfully sorry--just wanted to give you a hint. You know this sort of thing's against the law--something or other criminal--malicious libel or malfeasance or--er--felonious assault or some dashed thing of that sort"--her eyes began to widen--"Oh, yes," I drawled, "you're in for the very deuce of a scrape unless you keep quiet!" "Who says so?" she tried to bridle. "_I_ do!" I said, boring her steadily. "Witness, you know! So is Wilkes--both of us--to whatever dashed thing it is the judge decides you've done--_I_ don't know, you know!"--I shrugged carelessly. "But _he_ knows--he's a lawyer--and of course he'll explain it to Wilkes and me as witnesses. That's what witnesses are for, don't you know! Better go to your room and await arrest quietly." "Oh!" She kind of caught her breath, turning green and dropping her skinny hand upon a chair-back. And I was going on explaining to her, when I looked up and there was Jenkins. "Pardon, sir," he said, looking at me oddly, "but there's a caller waiting, and he was so urgent and particular, I came--" "Card!" I suggested, extending a couple of fingers. Jenkins looked shocked and his arms remained rigidly down. "Oh," I said, polishing my glass, "the gentleman--is he one of my--" "It ain't a gentleman, sir,"--Jenkins got it out with difficulty; "it's only just--er--a person!" "Eh? Oh, I say, now, Jenkins!" I protested. "A person from the--" Jenkins blinked. "In fact, a police person--" his chin went up and he so far forgot himself as to indulge in a sniff--"come to see you about--" his eyebrows angled a lofty protest at the housekeeper's strained poise--"h'm--to see you about--_you_ know!" I was dashed if I knew--but not so Miss Warfield! She gave a sudden gasp and whirled herself in front of me, hands up and clasped like the other woman in a jolly play you know. "Oh, sir!" she tremuloed, "Please--_please_--" "Eh?" I said in alarm and stepping back, for, dash it, _I_ didn't know what she wanted; and for a moment I had an awful thought she wanted me to--_you_ know! But the next second, I had her right. "Um!" I said, tightening my lips. "Well, I'll see!" And she looked so white--white as the driven what's-its-name, you know--that I felt my devilish heart go out to her a bit. "All right," I added soothingly, "you just go on about your duties and sit tight, you know, and I'll see if I can--er--fix things!" And, by Jove, I got past just in time to keep her from catching my hand and wringing herself over it. "What the deuce--" I began outside, as Jenkins steered me toward the _porte-cochere_. He looked warily at the footman waiting to serve us at the door--dashed if he didn't almost lay his hand on my arm! Then, behind his hand: "It's about the pajamas, sir!" "Eh?" I gasped, falling back. He stooped after me and his breath tickled my ear: "_Hers_, sir! _You_ know, that night--h'm!"