"You busy? I say if I have Buck in will you finish up these things?" "All right, if you like" said Miriam, regretting her sociable impulse. "Is Mr. Buck here?" She glanced at the appointment book. "Yes, he's waiting." "You haven't got anybody else this afternoon" observed Miriam. "I know. But I want to be down at Headquarters by five in full kit if I possibly can. Has the Pater got anybody?" "No. The afternoon's marked off--he's going out, I think. Look here, I'll clear up your things afterwards if you want to go out. Will you want all these for Mr. Buck?" "Oh--all right, thanks; I dunno. I've got to finish him off this afternoon and make him pay up." "Why pay up? Isn't he trustworthy?" "Trustworthy? A man who's just won three hundred pounds on a horse and chucked his job on the strength of it." "What a fearfully insane thing to do." "Lost his head." "Is he very young?" "Oo--'bout twenty-five." "H'm. I spose he'll begin the rake's progress." "That's about it. You've just about hit it" said Mr. Leyton with heavy significance. Miriam lingered. "I boil every blessed thing after he's been ... if that's any indication to you." "_Boil_ them!" said Miriam vaguely distressed and pondering over Mr. Leyton standing active and aseptic between her and some horror ... something infectious ... it must be that awful mysterious thing ... how awful for Mr. Leyton to have to stop his teeth. "Boil 'em" he chuckled knowingly. "Why on earth?" she asked. "Well--there you are" said Mr. Leyton--"that's all I can tell you. I _boil_ 'em." "Crikey" said Miriam half in response and half in comment on his falsetto laugh, as she made for the door. "Oh, but I say, I don't understand your boiling apparatus, Mr. Leyton." "All right, don't you worry. I'll set it all going and shove the things in. You've only to turn off the gas and wipe 'em. I daresay I shall have time to do them myself." 11