I didn't get home till six,
and, when I did, there was your present. Are you satisfied?"
"Overwhelmed."
"Good. Now, who's the lady?"
"That's just what I can't tell you. I know her voice, but not her
countenance. Her name is Dot--Lady Dot. She drives in a blue limousine
and she's here to-night."
Maisie assumed a serious air.
"This," she said, "is terrible. Does your life depend upon finding her?
I mean ... it's worse than a needle in a bundle of hay, isn't it?"
"Infinitely."
"You can wash out the limousine, because you won't see it. And the
voice, because you won't hear it. And her name, because she won't be
labelled. There's really nothing left, is there?"
Gloomily I assented.
"I'm sorry," said Maisie. "I'd like to have helped." The music slowed up
and died. "And now will you see me off?"
We made our way towards the exit.
I had found her footman and sent him to summon the car, and was standing
within the main entrance, when a familiar figure began with difficulty
to emerge from a car which had just arrived. Berry. Having succeeded in
projecting himself on to the steps, he turned to hand his companion out
of the car, as he did so presenting to the astonished doorkeepers a back
of such startling dimensions that the one nearest to me recoiled, for
all his seasoning.
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