Twenty-one HE RECOVERY OF THE FORMULA

“Der liebe Gott!” said Herr Eberhard in a whisper.
His face had gone chalky white.
George turned a face of dignified¹ reproach on Battle.
“Is this true, Battle? I left all arrangements in your hands.”
The rock- like quality of the Superintendent² showed out well. Not amuscle of his face moved.
“The best of us are defeated sometimes, sir,” he said quietly.
“Then you mean-you really mean-that the document is gone?”
But to everyone’s surprise Superintendent Battle shook his head.
“No, no, Mr. Lomax, it’s not so bad as you think. Everything’s all right.
But you can’t lay the credit for it at my door. You’ve got to thank thisyoung lady.”
He indicated Loraine, who stared at him in surprise. Battle steppedacross to her and gently took the brown paper parcel which she was stillclutching mechanically.
“I think, Mr. Lomax,” he said, “that you will find what you want here.”
Sir Stanley Digby, quicker in action than George, snatched at the pack-age and tore it open, investigating its contents eagerly. A sigh of relief es-caped him and he mopped his brow. Herr Eberhard fell upon the child ofhis brain and clasped it to his heart, whilst a torrent³ of German burst fromhim.
Sir Stanley turned to Loraine, shaking her warmly by the hand.
“My dear young lady,” he said, “we are infinitely⁴ obliged to you, I amsure.”
“Yes, indeed,” said George. “Though I-er-”
He paused in some perplexity, staring at a young lady who was a totalstranger to him. Loraine looked appealingly at Jimmy, who came to therescue.
“We-this is Miss Wade⁵.” said Jimmy. “Gerald Wade’s sister.”
“Indeed,” said George, shaking her warmly by the hand. “My dear MissWade, I must express my deep gratitude⁶ to you for what you have done. Imust confess that I do not quite see-”
He paused delicately and four of the persons present felt that explana-tions were going to be

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