Soames complied with willing alacrity; and Gianapolis having carefully blotted the signature, replaced the notebook in his pocket, and politely acknowledged the return of the fountain-pen.  Soames, glancing furtively about him, replaced the money in the envelope, and thrust the latter carefully into a trouser pocket.

“Now,” resumed Gianapolis, “we must not permit our affairs of business to interfere with our amusements.”

He stepped up to the bar and ordered two more whiskies with soda.  These being sampled, business was resumed.

“To-morrow,” said Gianapolis, leaning forward across the table so that his face almost touched that of his companion, “you will be entrusted by Mr. Leroux with a commission."...

Soames nodded eagerly, his eyes upon the speaker’s face.

“You will accompany Mrs. Leroux to the bank,” continued Gianapolis, “in order that she may write a specimen signature, in the presence of the manager, for transmission to the Credit Lyonnais in Paris."...

Soames nearly closed his little eyes in his effort to comprehend.

“A draft in her favor,” continued the Greek, “has been purchased by Mr. Leroux’s bank from the Paris bank, and, on presentation of this, a checkbook will be issued to Mrs. Leroux by the Credit Lyonnais in Paris to enable her to draw at her convenience upon that establishment against the said order.  Do you follow me?”

Soames nodded rapidly, eager to exhibit an intelligent grasp of the situation.

“Now”—­Gianapolis lowered his voice impressively—­“no one at the Charing Cross branch of the London County and Suburban Bank has ever seen Mrs. Leroux!—­Oh! we have been careful of that, and we shall be careful in the future.  You are known already as an accredited agent of Leroux; therefore”—­he bent yet closer to Soames’ ear—­“you will direct the chauffeur to drop you, not at the Strand entrance, but at the side entrance.  You follow?”

Soames, almost holding his breath, nodded again.

“At the end of the court, in which the latter entrance is situated, a lady dressed in the same manner as Mrs. Leroux (this is arranged) will be waiting.  Mrs. Leroux will walk straight up the court, into the corridor of Bank Chambers by the back entrance, and from thence out into the Strand.  You will escort the second lady into the manager’s office, and she will sign ‘Mira Leroux’ instead of the real Mira Leroux."...

Soames became aware that he was changing color.  This was a superior felony, and as such it awed his little mind.  It was tantamount to burning his boats.  Missing silver spoons and cooked petty cash were trivialities usually expiable at the price of a boot-assisted dismissal; but this—!