"
"You grow cryptic, Anthony."
"My dear Perry," said he, beginning to fidget with his stock, "my very
dear fellow, as may be supposed, your extraordinary sudden and
perfectly inexplicable flight from Wyvelstoke's reception and
disappearance has caused no small consternation, and, to one person in
particular, very much grief and anxiety. Under these distressing
circumstances, I, as your friend, sought an answer to the riddle,
the--the reason for your--very mysterious disappearance, and naturally
arrive at the conclusion that it is a case of--er--_cherchez la
femme_, Perry--"
"The devil you did!" exclaimed I.
"I haunted all the clubs, Perry, and with your uncles made discreet
enquiry for you in every likely and unlikely quarter--yesterday, as a
last possibility, I rode down here and learned from George how you
came staggering in at dawn, plastered with mud, wet to the skin and
accompanied by the lady who, I may inform you, had the good judgment
to disappear as soon as possible--"
"The lady," said I, trembling and indignant, "was a poor distracted
creature I found on my way--"
"Precisely, dear fellow! So here am I to lend you such assistance in
the matter as a friend may. No reason to worry yourself, only in
heaven's name be a little discreet, Perry--discretion's the word,"
"Discretion be damned!"
"Precisely, old fellow! And now only mention how I may assist you in
this unfortunate situation?"
"By listening to me!"
"Ears wide open, Perry.
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