Hard up, probably. These writing fellows usually
were. Looked as though he might be keen on Janet
Rustington. A nice woman--attractive and clever,
too. But she didn't ram her writing down your
throat. Highbrow sort of stuff she wrote but
you'd never think it to hear her talk. And old Leo!
He wasn't getting younger or thinner. And bliss-fully
unaware that his partner was at that moment
thinking precisely the same thing about him, Mr.
Pointz corrected Mr. Leathern as to pilchards
being connected with Devon and not Cornwall,
and prepared to enjoy his dinner.
"Mr. Pointz," said Eve when plates of hot
mackerel had been set before them and the waiters
had left the room.
"Yes, young lady."
"Have you got that big diamond with you right
now? The one you showed us last night and said
you always took about with you?"
Mr. Pointz chuckled.
"That's right. My mascot, I call it. Yes, I've got
it with me all right."
"I think that's awfully dangerous. Somebody
THE REGATTA MYSTERY
might get it away from you in the crowd at the
fair. ' '
"Not they," said Mr. Pointz. "I'll take good
care of that."
"But they might," insisted Eve. "You've got
gangsters in England as well as we have, haven't you?"