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 did what I had to do. I had to think quick, I can tell you.

With Ambrose, anticipation invariably created panic. He could not readily imagine to what horrible reality these fatal words of Philip Lawrence pointed.

What have you done? he repeated faintly.

Well, after you left the other day I went in to see Griesheimer—naturally at his request. He wanted to know what kind of story you had proposed. I was prepared for that. I knew I'd have to tell him something at once. It's better so, after all. It saves trouble afterwards. I told him the idea that we had doped out together. He said that while this was a whale of an idea he didn't need any more material for Dick Ruby for the next six months.

But he told me an hour before that he wanted a story badly for Dick Ruby, Ambrose protested.

Naturally, Philip asserted coolly. You don't know these Arabs. It's part of their technique to object to anything that's proposed. Anyway he alleged that he wanted a yarn for Auburn Six. The story you told me the other day obviously wouldn't suit her. She couldn't be one of a number of heroines. You can see that.

So he wants to break our contract and let me out! Ambrose cried joyfully.