He went back to the parlors, wondering how he had missed the club-man.  In the middle room of the suite he found Portia chatting with Marston, the lieutenant-governor; and a young woman in the smartest of reception gowns had succeeded to Elinor’s place at the piano.

“You found him?” queried the hostess, excusing herself to the tall, saturnine man who had shared the honors at the head of the People’s Party ticket with Jasper G. Bucks.

“No,” said Kent.  “Have you seen him?”

“Why, yes; they all came to take leave just a few moments after you left me.  I thought of telling Mr. Ormsby you were looking for him, but you shut me off so snippily——­”

“Miss Van Brock!  What have you done?  I must go at once.”

“Really?  I am complimented.  But if you must, you must, I suppose.  I had something to tell you—­something of importance; but I can’t remember what it was now.  I never can remember things in the hurry of leave-takings.”

As we have intimated, Kent had hitherto found Miss Portia’s confidences exceedingly helpful in a business way, and he hesitated.  “Tell me,” he begged.

“No, I can’t remember it:  I doubt if I shall ever remember it unless you can remind me by telling me why you are so desperately anxious to find Mr. Ormsby.”

“I wonder if you hold everybody up like this,” he laughed.  “But I don’t mind telling you.  Western Pacific preferred has gone to fifty-eight and a half.”

“And Mr. Ormsby has some to sell?  I wish I had.  Do you know what I’d do?” She drew closer and laid a hand on his arm.  “I’d sell—­by wire—­to-night; at least, I’d make sure that my telegram would be the first thing my broker would lay his hands on in the morning.”

“On general principles, I suppose:  so should I, and for the same reason.  But have I succeeded in reminding you of that thing you were going to tell me?”

“Not wholly; only partly.  You said this matter of Mr. Ormsby’s concerned Miss Brentwood—­in a way—­didn’t you?”

“You will have your pound of flesh entire, won’t you?  The stock is hers, and her mother’s and sister’s.  I want Ormsby to persuade them to sell.  They’ll listen to him.  That is all; all the all.”

“Of course!” she said airily.  “How simple of me not to have been able to add it up without your help.  I saw the quotation in the evening paper; and I know, better, perhaps, than you do, the need for haste.  Must you go now?” She had taken his arm and was edging him through the press in the parlors toward the entrance hall.

“You haven’t paid me yet,” he objected.

“No; I’m trying to remember.  Oh, yes; I have it now.  Wasn’t some one telling me that you are interested in House Bill Twenty-nine?”

They had reached the dimly lighted front vestibule, and her hand was still on his arm.

“I was interested in it,” he admitted, correcting the present to the past tense.