"Marty! Is that you?"

"It's all right," said Gilbert Palgrave. "I've been playing patience
for half an hour. I'm going to see you home."




V


"You are going home?"

"Yes," said Joan, "without the shadow of a doubt."

"Which means that I'd better tell the chauffeur to drive round to
the One-o'clock, eh?"

"I'll drop you there if you like. I'm really truly going home."

"All right."

Joan began to sing as the car bowled up Fifth Avenue. Movement
always made her sing, and the effect of things slipping behind her.
But she stopped suddenly as an expression of Alice's flicked across
her memory. "You'll catch Alice up, if you go straight back," she
said.

"Alice-Sit-by-the-Fire! I wonder why it is the really good woman is