Rice walked up and down the room.
"I wish you'd leave me your address," he said. "I'd like to look into this a bit."
Douglas sighed.
"I can only tell you" he said, "what I told Mr. Drexley. At present I haven't one. Good afternoon."
Rice walked with him to the door.
"Jesson," he said, "I want you to promise me something."
"Well?"
"You're a bit down on your luck. If things go badly you'll give me a look up. I can always raise a bit, and I think your word's all right. I tell you this, on my honour. Only yesterday 'the chief' asked for the proof of your story himself. It was down to appear without fail this next week. We've very few manuscripts in hand—never had fewer—and they've been so short of good fiction. What's gone wrong I don't know, but you leave it to me and I'll find out. You'll let me hear from you, eh?"
Douglas nodded drearily.
"Thanks," he said. "I won't forget."