"I've got some whisky," he said. "Say when. Sorry I was out when you got here.

I'm up to the ears in work. Hell of a case just unfolding."

I leaned back in my chair and lit a cigarette.

"Aristide Leonides?" I asked.

His brows came down quickly over his eyes. He shot me a quick appraising glance.

His voice was polite and steely.

"Now what makes you say that, Charles?"

"I'm right then?"

"How did you know about this?"

"Information received.''

The Old Man waited.

"My information," I said, "came from the stable itself."

"Come on, Charles, let's have it."

"You mayn't like it," I said. "I met Sophia Leonides out in Cairo. I fell in love with her. I'm going to marry her. I met her tonight. She dined with me."

"Dined with you? In London? I wonder just how she managed to do that? The family were asked - oh, quite politely, to stay put." ^ "Quite so. She shinned down a pipe from the bathroom window."

The Old Man's lips twitched for a moment into a smile.

"She seems," he said, "to be a young lady of some resource."

"But your police force is fully efficient,"

I said. "A nice Army type tracked her to, Mario's. I shall figure in the reports you get. Five foot eleven, brown hair, brown eyes, dark blue pinstripe suit etc."

The Old Man looked at me hard.

"Is this - serious?" he asked.

"Yes," I said. "It's serious, dad."

There was a moment's silence.

"Do you mind?" I asked.

"I shouldn't have minded - a week ago.

They're a well established family - the girl will have money - and I know you. You i don't lose your head easily. As it is -"

"Yes, dad?"

"It may be all right, if -"

"If what?"

"If the right person did it."

It was the second time that night I had heard that phrase. I began to be interested.

"Just who is the right person?"