Page:Herbert Jenkins - The Rain Girl.djvu/263

 been the danger-point all along. Time after time she had presented herself to his thoughts, and he had shut her out. Once let her in, he realised, and that would be the end—the wrong end. As he reached the entrance to his chambers, for some reason that he was unable to explain, he turned and looked first up and then down Jermyn Street. Yes, he was glad the tablets had not won.

He pushed open the door.

"There's a lady to see you, sir."

The porter had approached unseen. Beresford looked blankly at his expressionless face. For a moment he was dazed.

"I showed her up, sir. She could not wait down here"

"Showed her up where?" asked Beresford. Even he was conscious of the strange note in his voice, suggestive of surprise and curiosity.

"In your sitting-room, sir. She's been here nearly two hours." The man moved automatically towards the lift and Beresford followed. "She wouldn't give a name, sir," he added, as the lift stopped with a jerk.

A lady to see him. Of course, it was either some stupid blunder on the part of the porter, or else it was a dream. Ladies did not call The porter crashed open the gate.

Beresford passed on to the outer door of his flat. A lady in his sitting-room. Wasn't it Drewitt who had said something about a rhinoceros being in