But as it happens he was here just now." Her visitor fairly flushed.

"And I've only missed him ?" Her pause again was of the briefest.

"You wouldn't if he HAD gone up." "'Gone up' ?" "To Nanda, who has now her own sitting-room, as you know; for whom he immediately asked and for whose benefit, whatever you may think, I was at the end of a quarter of an hour, I assure you, perfectly ready to release him.

He changed his mind, however, and went away without seeing her." Mitchy showed the deepest interest.

"And what made him change his mind ?" "Well, I'm thinking it out." He appeared to watch this labour.