Tom, in fact, was exceedingly disturbed. He had just returned from Hyattsville, where he had redeemed Janet’s bracelet. His duties at Fort Myer had prevented his going there during the past two days, and he had not dared to ask a brother officer to go in his place, fearing news of the arrest for speeding might leak out, with other details. He had hoped to find Janet at home that afternoon and return the bracelet. He had tried several times to talk to her on the telephone, but each time the Fordyce servants had told him Janet was either out or engaged. He would have confided the whole affair to Marjorie except for his promise to Janet. “Can you go to the Charity Ball with us?” asked Duncan. “Why yes, I’d like to very much,” answered Tom, awaking to the fact that he had not spoken for some moments. “Good, don’t trouble to get a ticket, and I think you had better dine with us first----” “Excuse me, Captain, but you are wanted on the telephone,” interrupted a club attendant. “I’ll be right back, Fordyce,” Tom sprang precipitously to his feet; perhaps Janet had called him up. “Wait for me,” and he disappeared after the attendant. An older man sitting by a window some distance away glanced up at hearing the name “Fordyce,” and scanned Duncan intently, then rose and slowly approached him. “I beg your pardon, but are you not Duncan Fordyce?” he asked. Duncan looked at him attentively for a second, then stepped forward. “How do you do, Admiral Lawrence,” he said, extending his hand. The Admiral’s haggard face lighted with a pleased smile. “So you remember me, Duncan; it’s some years since we met,” a sigh accompanied the words. “How is your dear mother?” “Very well, thank you. Won’t you sit down, sir?” pulling forward a chair. “Please thank your mother for her kind note of sympathy; I intended answering it----” the Admiral broke off abruptly and cleared his throat. “Tell me of yourself, Duncan, since we last met.” “There’s nothing very much to recount, Admiral; I graduated from Yale, then from the Harvard Law School; traveled a bit in China and South America, and on my return joined a law firm in San Francisco. I am East on a short visit.” “Sorry to have been so long,” said Tom, appearing behind the Admiral, whom he already knew. “Much obliged to you, sir, for taking care of Fordyce in my absence.” “Duncan and I are old friends,” Admiral Lawrence stepped back. “I won’t interrupt you two any longer.”