Manners replied briefly that he had had no interview whatever with Tournelli, and changed the subject quickly.

The mystery--as we persisted in believing it--was heightened when another member deposed that he had seen "Tom," the Western waiter, coming from Manners's office.

As Manners had volunteered no information of this, we felt that we could not without indelicacy ask him if Tom was a client, or a messenger from Tournelli.

The only result was that our Club dinner was even more constrained than before.

Not only was "Tom" now invested with a dark importance, but it was evident that the harmony of the Club was destroyed by these singular secret relations of two of its members with their employes.
It chanced that one morning, arriving from a delayed journey, I dropped into the restaurant.