reservations booked and--and--" He hesitated, a wry smile on his lips,
"I daresay you won't mind making a pretence of looking after the luggage
a bit, will you?"

"I shall take this opportunity to put myself in training against the day
when I may be travelling away with a happy bride of my own. By the way,
how long am I expected to remain in this state of matrimonial bliss?
That's no small detail, you know, even though it escaped for the
moment."

"Three weeks."

"Three weeks?" He almost reeled.

"That's a long time in these days of speedy divorces," said Medcroft
blandly.




CHAPTER II

THE SISTER-IN-LAW


The Gare de l'Est was thronged with people when Brock appeared, fully
half an hour before departing time. In no little dismay, he found
himself wondering if the whole of Paris was going away or, on the other
hand, if the rest of the continent was arriving. He felt a fool in
Medcroft's unspeakable checked suit; and the eyeglass was a much more