www.freeclassicebooks.com

If you will call upon me to-morrow morning at eleven o'clock, I will lay the details

of my proposition before you."

At eleven o'clock?" said Tuppence doubtfully.

At eleven o'clock."

Tuppence made up her mind.

"Very well. I'll be there."

"Thank you. Good evening."

He raised his hat with a flourish, and walked away. Tuppence remained for some

minutes gazing after him. Then she gave a curious movement of her shoulders,

rather as a terrier shakes himself.

"The adventures have begun," she murmured to herself. "What does he want me

to do, I wonder? There's something about you, Mr. Whittington, that I don't like at

all. But, on the other hand, I'm not the least bit afraid of you. And as I've said

before, and shall doubtless say again, little Tuppence can look after herself,

thank you!"

And with a short, sharp nod of her head she walked briskly onward. As a result of

further meditations, however, she turned aside from the direct route and entered

a post office. There she pondered for some moments, a telegraph form in her

hand. The thought of a possible five shillings spent unnecessarily spurred her to

action, and she decided to risk the waste of ninepence.

Disdaining the spiky pen and thick, black treacle which a beneficent Government

had provided, Tuppence drew out Tommy's pencil which she had retained and

wrote rapidly: "Don't put in advertisement. Will explain to-morrow." She

addressed it to Tommy at his club, from which in one short month he would have

to resign, unless a kindly fortune permitted him to renew his subscription.

"It may catch him," she murmured. "Anyway, it's worth trying."

After handing it over the counter she set out briskly for home, stopping at a

baker's to buy three penny-worth of new buns.

Later, in her tiny cubicle at the top of the house she munched buns and reflected

on the future. What was the Esthonia Glassware Co., and what earthly need

The Secret Adversary