"'I got your letter this morning,' she answered.
"Well, George, the whole thing seemed a put-up job, and I quite made up my mind to warn Burgess how his young men were carrying on. I poured the tea out and handed round the food and was just making for the door when the Panther called me back.
"'Sonia,' he said, 'I want to introduce a young cousin of George's.'
"'George is one of my oldest friends,' she said. (You old devil, you never told me. Never mind, she called me 'Laurie' before we'd finished.)
"'And Miss Dainton is one of my oldest friends,' said the Panther. 'Sit down and continue to preside over the meal. I've not made tea since the days when I was your brother-in-law's fag—eighteen years ago, nearly.'
"We talked a bit, and I poured out more tea and handed more food and then I made another attempt to go.
"'You're in a great hurry, Oakleigh,' said the Panther. 'We've bored you, I'm afraid.'
"'No, sir,' I said, 'but I thought you and Miss Dainton might want to talk.'
"'I should like you to stay,' he said, 'Miss Dainton has called to see these rooms, and I want you to show her round. There is a question whether she would care to live here.'