“As a matter of fact, he was scratched at half-past nine. I found the symbol, my lady, and sent it along.”
Julia started to her feet.
“You—found—it?”
“I,” said Hubert, “with my little eye. I found the ring. I happened upon it, as they say, in the course of a job of work.”
“Where?”
Challenger rose to his feet.
“Julia,” he said, “after the barber had cleansed me I was going to call upon you. I was going to beg your pardon and ask you very humbly to have another dart. I don’t want to stimy George, but I’ve taken Sloane Street on a seven years’ lease, and——”
“Hubert, you haven’t!”
“Why not, dear? I took it first thing this morning, and, being so close, I just felt round for the ring. There it was—in the midst of the bathroom. I gave the porter a fiver just for luck, and——”
“But, Hubert, I’ve taken South Street.”