What a life.”

“Frightful.” Another silence. “You say you don’t know this lawyer?” A rather unkempt young man came in and hurried past. “How do you expect to recognize him?”

“He wrote me he’d be wearing a green hat. Imagine! Why not a rose behind his ear?”

“A green hat.” The girl’s smile grew even brighter. Charming, thought Kirk. Suddenly he stared at her in amazement. “Good lord - you’re wearing a green hat!” he cried.

“I’m afraid I am.”

“Don’t tell me -“

“Yes - it’s true. I’m the lawyer. And you hate all lawyers. What a pity.”

“But I didn’t dream -“

“J. V. Morrow,” she went on. “The first name is June.”

“And I thought it was Jim,” he cried. “Please forgive me.”

“You’d never have invited me if you’d known - would you?”

“On the contrary - I wouldn’t have invited anybody else. But come along. There are a lot of murder experts in the lobby dying to meet you.”

They rose, and walked rapidly down the corridor. “You’re interested in murder?” Kirk inquired.

“Among other things,” she smiled.

“Must take it up myself,” Kirk murmured.

Men turned to look at her a second time, he noticed. There was an alertness in her dark eyes that resembled the look in Chan’s, her manner was brisk and businesslike, but for all that she was feminine, alluring.

He introduced her to the surprised Sir Frederic, then to Charlie Chan. The expression on the face of the little Chinese did not alter. He bowed low.

“The moment has charm,” he remarked.

Kirk turned to Rankin. “And all the time,” he accused, “you knew who J. V. Morrow was.”

The reporter shrugged. “I thought I’d let you find it out for yourself. Life holds so few pleasant surprises.”

“It never held a pleasanter one for me,” Kirk answered. They went in to the table he had engaged, which stood in a secluded corner.

When they were seated, the girl turned to her host. “This was so good of you. And of Sir Frederic, too. I know how busy he must be.”

The Englishman bowed. “A fortunate moment for me,” he smiled, “when I decided I was not too busy to meet J.