Page:Edgar Jepson--the four philanthropists.djvu/271

Rh his chair. "You forget yourself. I shouldn't dream of having a partner who is either a drunkard or a gambler!"

"Of course not! Of course not! I was forgetting," said Chelubai peaceably. "Is he susceptible?"

"If you mean to the charms of the fair sex, he is," said Honest John Driver, still wearing an offended air.

"That will do even better," said Chelubai. "You had better give a dinner here to-morrow night. I will bring Mr. Armitage and his sister, and you can bring Gutermann."

"And you'll bring Sir Ralph Bottiger?" said Driver eagerly. "It will—impress Gutermann."

"Yes."

We had been keeping under the eagerness with which we had been awaiting the coming of Chelubai by three rubbers of dummy Bridge. When he came we left our cards and listened to his tale. We were overjoyed to hear his news, for all of us were eager to be at work again. Even Angel was unfeignedly delighted, and I fancied that it was a relief to her to learn that it was merely a matter of kidnapping.

When the loud expressions of our joy had eased our hearts, we set our brains to work upon the business, and we set them to work hard, for a fortnight is a very short time to plan, arrange and