Philippa, even for some moments after the departure of Captain Griffiths and his myrmidons, remained in a sort of nerveless trance.

The crisis, with its bewildering denouement, had affected her curiously.

Lessingham rose presently to his feet.
"I wonder," he asked, "if I could have a whisky and soda ?" She stamped her foot at him in a little fit of hysterical passion.
"You're not natural!" she cried.

"Whisky and soda!" "Well, I don't know," he protested mildly, helping himself from the table in the background.

"I rather thought I was being particularly British.