could find some kind friend who would invite him to supper, well and
good. If not, he was feeling so tired and depressed that he was ready
to take the bull by the horns and pay for his meal himself. He had
obeyed Miss Freda Reece's signal because it was impossible to avoid
doing so; but one glance at Bailey's face had convinced him that not
there was his kind host.

"Why, Perce," said Miss Reece, "I ain't saw you in years. Where you
been hiding yourself?"

Percy gave a languid gesture indicative of the man of affairs whose
time is not his own.

"Percy," continued Miss Reece, "shake hands with my friend Mr.
Bannister. I been telling him about how you made such a hit as the pin
in 'Pinafore'!"

The name galvanized Percy like a bugle-blast.

"Mr. Bannister!" he exclaimed. "Any relation to Mr. John Bannister, the
millionaire?"

Bailey favoured him with a scrutiny through the gold-rimmed glasses
which would have frozen his very spine.

"My father's name is--ah--John, and he is a millionaire."

Percy met the scrutiny with a suave smile.

"By Jove!" he said. "I know your sister quite well, Mr. Bannister. I