"And now," said Superintendent Battle, looking round with a slight twinkle in his eye, "now that we're together and friendly like—I should like to hear just how Miss Wade happened to arrive on the scene so pat."
"She ought to be ashamed of herself," said Jimmy. "Hoodwinking us all as she did."
"Why should I be kept out of it all?" cried Loraine passionately. "I never meant to be—no, not the very first day in your rooms when you both explained how the best thing for me to do was to stay quietly at home and keep out of danger. I didn't say anything, but I made up my mind then."
"I half suspected it," said Bundle. "You were so surprisingly meek about it. I might have known you were up to something."
"I thought you were remarkably sensible," said Jimmy Thesiger.
"You would, Jimmy dear," said Loraine. "It was easy enough to deceive you."
"Thank you for these kind words," said Jimmy. "Go on, and don't mind me."
"When you rang up and said there might be danger, I was more determined than ever," went on Loraine. "I went to Harrods and I bought a pistol. Here it is."
She produced the dainty weapon, and Superintendent Battle took it from her and examined it.
"Quite a deadly little toy, Miss Wade," he said. "Have you had much—er—practise with it?"