“I can’t remember.  I didn’t notice him particularly.  It was really the outlandish name that caught my attention.”

“And people say that coincidences don’t happen!” Tuppence tackled her Peche Melba happily.

But Tommy had become serious.

“Look here, Tuppence, old girl, what is this going to lead to?”

“More money,” replied his companion.

“I know that.  You’ve only got one idea in your head.  What I mean is, what about the next step?  How are you going to keep the game up?”

“Oh!” Tuppence laid down her spoon.  “You’re right, Tommy, it is a bit of a poser.”

“After all, you know, you can’t bluff him forever.  You’re sure to slip up sooner or later.  And, anyway, I’m not at all sure that it isn’t actionable—­blackmail, you know.”

“Nonsense.  Blackmail is saying you’ll tell unless you are given money.  Now, there’s nothing I could tell, because I don’t really know anything.”

“Hm,” said Tommy doubtfully.  “Well, anyway, what are we going to do?  Whittington was in a hurry to get rid of you this morning, but next time he’ll want to know something more before he parts with his money.  He’ll want to know how much you know, and where you got your information from, and a lot of other things that you can’t cope with.  What are you going to do about it?”

Tuppence frowned severely.

“We must think.  Order some Turkish coffee, Tommy.  Stimulating to the brain.  Oh, dear, what a lot I have eaten!”

“You have made rather a hog of yourself!  So have I for that matter, but I flatter myself that my choice of dishes was more judicious than yours.  Two coffees.” (This was to the waiter.) “One Turkish, one French.”

Tuppence sipped her coffee with a deeply reflective air, and snubbed Tommy when he spoke to her.

“Be quiet.  I’m thinking.”

“Shades of Pelmanism!” said Tommy, and relapsed into silence.

“There!” said Tuppence at last.  “I’ve got a plan.  Obviously what we’ve got to do is to find out more about it all.”

Tommy applauded.

“Don’t jeer.  We can only find out through Whittington.  We must discover where he lives, what he does—­sleuth him, in fact!  Now I can’t do it, because he knows me, but he only saw you for a minute or two in Lyons’.  He’s not likely to recognize you.  After all, one young man is much like another.”

“I repudiate that remark utterly.  I’m sure my pleasing features and distinguished appearance would single me out from any crowd.”

“My plan is this,” Tuppence went on calmly, “I’ll go alone to-morrow.  I’ll put him off again like I did to-day.  It doesn’t matter if I don’t get any more money at once.  Fifty pounds ought to last us a few days.”

“Or even longer!”

“You’ll hang about outside.  When I come out I shan’t speak to you in case he’s watching.  But I’ll take up my stand somewhere near, and when he comes out of the building I’ll drop a handkerchief or something, and off you go!”