bidding had not Mr. Odell-Carney laid a restraining grip upon his
shoulder.

"Let me explain, Miss F-Fowler. You shee--see, he told us you'd be here,
but, hang it all, you wassen here wh-when we came. Never give up, says I
to my frien's. We'll search till doomshday. I knew we'd find you if we
kep' on searching. Thash jus' wot I said to Roddy, didn' I, Roddy? We
mush have overlokked yo' when we were here at 'leven."

"I was not here at eleven," she cried breathlessly.

"Thash jus' what I tol' 'em," insisted Freddie triumphantly. "I saysh:
'What's use lookin' here? She--she isn't on top of any these tables,'
an' I--I knew you wassen unner 'em. You ain't--"

"Permit me," interrupted Odell-Carney with grave dignity. "Your friend,
Miss Fowler, is not in gaol. He is out--"

"Not in gaol!" she almost shrieked. "I knew it! I knew it could not go
wrong. But where is he?"

"He's out on bail. We bailed him out at half-past ten--Wot!" She had
leaped to her feet with a short scream and was clutching his arm
frantically.

"On bail? At half-past ten? Good heavens, then--then--oh, are you sure?"

"Poshtive, abs'lutely."

"Then what has become of my nine thousand crowns?"