"Wait a minute, Jim. Wait till I come back," she said somewhat breathlessly, and, leaving the door open, she hurried down the passage. She hurried up to her room, took off her hat, and hurried to Olivia. She found her in her sitting-room looking through an evening paper to learn if any new fact about the murder had come to light. "If you please, your ladyship, James Hutchings has come to ask if your ladyship would like him to come back for the time being till you've got suited with another butler," said Elizabeth in a rather breathless voice. Olivia looked at Elizabeth's flushed, excited and hopeful face, and smiled. "Why, have you and James made it up, Elizabeth?" she said. "Yes, m'lady," said Elizabeth, and the flush deepened in her cheeks. "Then go and tell him to come back, by all means," said Olivia. "Thank you, m'lady," said Elizabeth, in accents of profound gratitude, and she ran out of the room. Olivia smiled and then she sighed. It was pleasant to have given Elizabeth such obviously keen pleasure. She never dreamed that Elizabeth and James Hutchings were under the same strain of fear and anxiety as she herself, and that she had given them great help in their trouble, for Elizabeth saw that the return of James Hutchings to his situation would give the wagging tongues full pause. James Hutchings was dumbfounded on receiving the message. He stared at Elizabeth with his mouth open. "Be quick, Jim. Get your clothes and be back in time to wait on her ladyship at dinner," said Elizabeth. James Hutchings came out of his stupor. "Why, L-L-Lizzie, you must let me p-p-put up our b-b-banns tomorrow," he stammered. "Be off!" said Elizabeth, stamping her foot. "We can talk about that later." When she came from her bath Olivia sent Elizabeth to tell Holloway that she would dine with Mr. Flexen and Mr. Manley that evening. She had a sudden desire to see more of Mr. Flexen, to weigh him as an antagonist. Mr. Flexen was somewhat surprised to receive the information; then, considering the terms on which Olivia had been with her husband, he found her action natural enough. After all, she was not a woman of the middle class, bound to make a pretence of grieving for a wholly unamiable bully. Also, he was pleased: to dine with so charming a creature as Olivia would be pleasant and stimulating. In the course of the evening his wits might rise to the solution of his problem. Moreover, it would be odd if he did not gain a further, valuable insight into her character. He was yet more surprised to find James Hutchings, still rather pale and haggard, but quite cool and master of himself, superintending the waiting of Wilkins and Holloway at dinner. Also, he liked the way in which he spoke to Olivia and looked at her. To Mr. Flexen, James Hutchings had the air of the authentic faithful dog. He was inclined to a better opinion of him.