"Think of some more adjectives!" exclaimed the young man. "Hot and
strong 'uns--pile 'em up. That's what they like--they--Hullo!"

This exclamation arose from the fact that at this point of the
proceedings the detective rapped at the inner door, and then put his
head round its edge. Whereupon the young lady who was orating from the
chair, jumped hastily down; the other young lady withdrew from the
young man's protecting arm; there was a feminine giggle and a feminine
swishing of skirts, and a hasty bolt into an inner room, and Mr. Ronald
Breton came forward, blushing a little, to greet the interrupter.

"Come in, come in!" he exclaimed hastily. "I--"

Then he paused, catching sight of Spargo, and held out his hand with a
look of surprise.

"Oh--Mr. Spargo?" he said. "How do you do?--we--I--we were just having
a lark--I'm off to court in a few minutes. What can I do for you, Mr.
Spargo?"

He had backed to the inner door as he spoke, and he now closed it and
turned again to the two men, looking from one to the other. The
detective, on his part, was looking at the young barrister. He saw a
tall, slimly-built youth, of handsome features and engaging presence,
perfectly groomed, and immaculately garbed, and having upon him a
general air of well-to-do-ness, and he formed the impression from these
matters that Mr. Breton was one of those fortunate young men who may
take up a profession but are certainly not dependent upon it. He turned
and glanced at the journalist.