ng。〃

〃Very　good；　sir。〃

Mr　Goby　rose　to　his　feet。

〃When　will　you　have　it　ready　for　me？〃

〃In　a　hurry；　sir？〃

〃I'm　always　in　a　hurry；〃　said　the　millionaire。

Mr　Goby　smiled　understandingly　at　the　wall。　〃Two　o'clock　this　afternoon；　sir？〃

〃Excellent；〃　approved　the　other。　〃Good　morning；　Goby。〃

〃Good　morning；　Mr　Van　Aldin。〃

〃That's　a　very　useful　man；〃　said　the　millionaire　as　Goby　went　out　and　his　secretary　came　in。　〃In　his　own　line　he's　a　specialist。〃

〃What　is　his　line？〃

〃Information。　Give　him　twenty…four　hours　and　he　would　lay　the　private　life　of　the　Archbishop　of　Canterbury　bare　for　you。〃

〃A　useful　sort　of　chap；〃　said　Knighton；　with　a　smile。

〃He　has　been　useful　to　me　once　or　twice；〃　said　Van　Aldin。　〃Now　then；　Knighton；　I'm　ready　for　work。〃

The　next　few　hours　saw　a　vast　quantity　of　business　rapidly　transacted。　It　was　half…past　twelve　when　the　telephone　bell　rang；　and　Mr　Van　Aldin　was　informed　that　Mr　Kettering　had　called。　Knighton　looked　at　Van　Aldin；　and　interpreted　his　brief　nod。

〃Ask　Mr　Kettering　to　e　up；　please。〃

The　secretary　gathered　up　his　papers　and　departed。　He　and　the　visitor　passed　each　other　in　the　doorway；　and　Derek　Kettering　stood　aside　to　let　the　other　go　out。　Then　he　came　in；　shutting　the　door　behind　him。

〃Good　morning；　sir。　You　are　very　anxious　to　see　me；　I　hear。〃

The　lazy　voice　with　its　slightly　ironic　inflection　roused　memories　in　Van　Aldin。

There　was　charm　in　it　…　there　had　always　been　charm　in　it。　He　looked　piercingly　at　his　son…in…law。　Derek　Kettering　was　thirty…four；　lean　of　build；　with　a　dark；　narrow　face；　which　had　even　now　something　indescribabiy　boyish　in　it。

〃e　in；〃　said　Van　Aldin　curtly。　〃Sit　down。〃

Kette