Arthur, forcing himself to smile, accepted the invitation. The specialist patted him cheerily on the back, and they agreed to meet at the Savoy. “It’s awfully good of you to come,” said Susie, as they drove along. “Do you know, I’ve never been there in my life, and I’m palpitating with excitement.” “What a selfish brute I was to refuse!” he answered. When Susie came out of the dressing-room, she found Arthur waiting for her. She was in the best of spirits. “Now you must say you like my frock. I’ve seen six women turn green with envy at the sight of it. They think I must be French, and they’re sure I’m not respectable.” “That is evidently a great compliment,” he smiled. At that moment Arbuthnot came up to them in his eager way and seized their arms. “Come along. We’re waiting for you. I’ll just introduce you all round, and then we’ll go in to supper.” They walked down the steps into the foyer, and he led them to a group of people. They found themselves face to face with Oliver Haddo and Margaret. “Mr Arthur Burdon—Mrs Haddo. Mr Burdon is a colleague of mine at St Luke’s; and he will cut out your appendix in a shorter time than any man alive.” Arbuthnot rattled on. He did not notice that Arthur had grown ghastly pale and that Margaret was blank with consternation. Haddo, his heavy face wreathed with smiles, stepped forward heartily. He seemed thoroughly to enjoy the situation. “Mr Burdon is an old friend of ours,” he said. “In fact, it was he who introduced me to my wife. And Miss Boyd and I have discussed Art and the Immortality of the Soul with the gravity due to such topics.” He held out his hand, and Susie took it. She had a horror of scenes, and, though this encounter was as unexpected as it was disagreeable, she felt it needful to behave naturally. She shook hands with Margaret. “How disappointing!” cried their host. “I was hoping to give Miss Boyd something quite new in the way of magicians, and behold! she knows all about him.” “If she did, I’m quite sure she wouldn’t speak to me,” said Oliver, with a bantering smile. They went into the supper-room. “Now, how shall we sit?” said Arbuthnot, glancing round the table. Oliver looked at Arthur, and his eyes twinkled. “You must really let my wife and Mr Burdon be together. They haven’t seen one another for so long that I’m sure they have no end of things to talk about.” He chuckled to himself. “And pray give me Miss Boyd, so that she can abuse me to her heart’s content.” This arrangement thoroughly suited the gay specialist, for he was able to put the beautiful actress on one side of him and the charming American on the other. He rubbed his hands. “I feel that we’re going to have a delightful supper.”