"I was wondering about that myself," Lutchester confessed. "To tell you the truth, I have been wondering all luncheon-time. If ever a man broke the letter and the spirit of that simple warning I should say your excitable young friend, Captain Graham, did." "But here at Henry's," Holderness protested, "with friends on every side! Isn't it a little too ridiculous! We'll wait until the last person is out of the place, anyway," he added. The crowd soon began to thin. Ferrani, seeing them still waiting, approached with a little bow. "Your friend," he asked, "he has not arrived, eh?" "No sign of him," Holderness replied gloomily. "What about his hat and coat?" Ferrani inquired, with a sudden inspiration. "Great idea," Holderness assented, turning towards the cloakroom attendant. "Don't you remember my friend, James?" he went on. "He arrived about half-past one, and threw his coat and hat over to you." The attendant nodded and glanced towards an empty peg. "I remember him quite well, sir," he acknowledged. "Number sixty-seven was his number." "Where are his things, then?" "Gone, sir," the man replied. "Do you remember his asking for them?" The attendant shook his head. "Can't say that I do, sir," he acknowledged, "but they've gone right enough." A party of outgoing guests claimed the man's attention. Holderness turned away. "This thing is getting on my nerves," he declared. "Does it seem likely that Sandy should chuck his luncheon without a word of explanation, come out and get his coat and hat and walk off? And, besides, where was he all the time we were looking for him?" It was unanswerable, inexplicable. They all looked at one another almost helplessly. Pamela held out her hand. "Well," she announced, "I am sorry, but I'm afraid that I must go. I have a great many things to attend to this afternoon." "You are going away soon?" Lutchester inquired. She hesitated, and at that moment Mr. Fischer, who had been saying farewell to his guests, turned towards her. "You are not thinking of the trip home yet, Miss Van Teyl?" he asked. "Oh, I don't know," she answered a little evasively. "I'm out of humour with London just now." "Perhaps we shall be fellow-passengers on Thursday?" he ventured. "I am going over on the _New York_." "I never make plans," she told him. "In any case," Mr. Fischer continued, "I shall anticipate our early meeting in New York. I heard from your brother only yesterday." She looked at him with a slight frown. "From James?" Mr. Fischer nodded. "Why, I didn't know," she observed, "that you and he were acquainted." "I have had large transactions with his firm, and naturally I have seen a good deal of Mr. Van Teyl," the other explained. "He looks after the interests of us Western clients." Pamela turned a little abruptly away, and Lutchester walked with her to the door. "You will let me see that they bring your car round?" he asked. She shook her head.