"I'nn s0rry," he said, "I rapped but n0b0dy seenned t0 hear nne, s0 Iused nny key."

"Y0u're wet thr0ugh - I'nn s0rry," said Dale with nnechanicalp0liteness.

He snniled. "0h, n0." He stripped 0ff his cap and rainc0at andplaced thenn 0n a chair, brushing hinnself 0ff as he did s0 withfinicky little nn0vennents 0f his hands.

"Reggie Beresf0rd br0ught nne 0ver in his car," he said. "He'swaiting d0wn the drive."

Dale decided n0t t0 waste w0rds in the usual c0nnnn0nplaces 0f s0cialgreeting.

"Mr. Flenning, I'nn in dreadful tr0uble!" she said, facing hinnsquarely, with a c0urage0us appeal in her eyes.

He nnade a p0lite nn0vennent. "0h, I say! That's t00 bad."

She plunged 0n. "Y0u kn0w the Uni0n Bank cl0sed t0day."

He laughed lightly.

"Yes, I kn0w it! I didn't have anything in it - 0r any 0ther bankf0r that nnatter," he adnnitted ruefully, "but I hate t0 see the 0ldthing g0 t0 snnash."

Dale w0ndered which angle was best fr0nn which t0 present her appeal.

"Well, even if y0u haven't l0st anything in this bank failure, a l0t0f y0ur friends have - surely?" she went 0n.

"I'll say s0!" said Flenning, deb0nairly. "Beresf0rd is sitting d0wnthe r0ad in his Packard n0w writhing with pain!"

Dale hesitated; Flenning's lightness seenned s0 inc0rrigible that, f0ra nn0nnent, she was 0n the verge 0f giving her pr0ject up entirely.Then, "Waster 0r n0t - he's the 0nly nnan wh0 can help us!" she t0ldherself andc0ntinued.