"Um--yes," admitted White.

Tony Cornish had risen to his feet also. He held out his hand.

"I did not know that," he said.

There was a pause. Tony and Joan returned to their circulars in an odd
silence. The Haberdashers' Assistants seemed suddenly to have
diminished in importance.

"By-the-by," said Joan Ferriby at length, "papa wants to see you, Tony.
He has a new scheme. Something very large and very important. The only
question is whether it is not too large. It is not only in England, but
in other countries. A great international affair. Some distressed
manufacturers or something. I really do not quite know. That Mr.
Roden--you remember?--has been to see him about it."

Cornish nodded in his quick way. "I remember Roden," he answered. "The
man you met at Hombourg. Tall dark man with a tired manner."

"Yes," answered Joan. "He has been to see papa several times. Papa is
just as busy as ever with his charities," she continued, addressing
White. "And I believe he wants you to help him in this one." "Me?" said
White, nervously. "Oh, I'm no good. I should not know a haberdasher's
assistant if I saw him."

"Oh, but this is not the Haberdashers' Assistants," laughed Joan. "It
is something much more important than that. The Haberdashers'
Assistants are only----"