Anna the Adventuress

Sir John seated himself deliberately.

"I should imagine," he said, shaking out a copy of _The Times_, "that

it is your brain which is addled."

Drummond looked up with mock eagerness.

"This," he exclaimed, "must be either the indifference of an utterly

callous nature, or it may be--ye gods, it may be--innocence. Holcroft,

we may have been mistaken."

"Think not," that young man remarked laconically.

"I will put the question," Drummond said gravely. "Ferringhall, were

you or were you not dining last night at a certain restaurant in the

Boulevard des Italiennes with--_la petite_ Pellissier?"

Now indeed Sir John was moved. He sat up in his chair as though the

question had stung him. _The Times_ slipped from his fingers. His eyes

were bright, and his voice had in it an unaccustomed _timbre_.

"It is true," he said, "that I was dining last night at a restaurant

in the Boulevard des Italiennes, and it is true that my companion was

a young lady whose name is Pellissier. What of it?"

There was a shout of laughter. Sir John looked about him, and somehow

the laugh died away. If such a thing in connexion with him had been

possible they would have declared that he was in a towering rage. An

uncomfortable silence followed. Sir John once more looked around him.

"I repeat, gentlemen," he said, in an ominously low tone, "what of

it?"

Drummond shrugged his shoulders.

"You seem to be taking our little joke more seriously than it

deserves, Ferringhall," he remarked.

"I fail to see the joke," Sir John said. "Kindly explain it to me."

"Certainly! The thing which appeals to our sense of humour is the fact

that you and _la petite_ Pellissier were dining together."

"Will you tell me," Sir John said ponderously, "by what right you call

that young lady--_la petite_ Pellissier? I should be glad to know how

you dare to allude to her in a public place in such a disrespectful

manner!"

Drummond looked at him and smiled.

"Don't be an ass, Ferringhall," he said tersely. "Annabel Pellissier

is known to most of us. I myself have had the pleasure of dining with

her. She is very charming, and we all admire her immensely. She sings

twice a week at the 'Ambassador's' and the 'Casino Mavise'----"

Sir John held up his hand.

"Stop," he said. "You do not even know what you are talking about. The

young lady with whom I was dining last night was Miss Anna Pellissier.

Miss Annabel is her sister. I know nothing of that young lady."

There was a moment's silence. Drummond took up a cigarette and lit it.

"The young lady, I presume, told you that her name was Anna," he

remarked.

"It was not necessary," Sir John answered stiffly. "I was already

aware of the fact. I may add that the family is well known to me. The

two aunts of these young ladies lived for many years in the dower

house upon my estate in Hampshire. Under the circumstances you must

permit me to be the best judge of the identity of the young lady who

did me the honour, as an old family friend, of dining with me."