E Phillips Oppenheim

Mysterious Mr. Sabin E Phillips Oppenheim

"To all such meetings as these!" cried Densham, lifting his champagne glass from under thesoft halo of the rose-shaded electric lights. "Let us drink to them, Wolfenden-Mr. Felix!""To all such meetings!" echoed his vis-à-vis, also fingering the delicate stem of his glass. "Anexcellent toast!""To all such meetings as these!" murmured the third man, who made up the little party. "Acapital toast indeed!"They sat at a little round table in the brilliantly-lit supper-room of one of London's mostfashionable restaurants. Around them were the usual throng of well dressed men, ofwomen with bare shoulders and flashing diamonds, of dark-visaged waiters, deft, silent, swift-footed. The pleasant hum of conversation, louder and more unrestrained as the hourgrew towards midnight, was varied by the popping of corks and many little trills offeminine laughter. Of discordant sounds there were none. The waiters' feet fell noiselesslyupon the thick carpet, the clatter of plates was a thing unheard of. From the balcony outsidecame the low, sweet music of a German orchestra played by master hands. As usual the place was filled. Several late-comers, who had neglected to order their tablebeforehand, had already, after a disconsolate tour of the room, been led to one of thesmaller apartments, or had driven off again to where the lights from the larger but lesssmart Altoné flashed out upon the smooth, dark waters of the Thames. Only one table wasas yet unoccupied, and that was within a yard or two of the three young men who werecelebrating a chance meeting in Pall Mall so pleasantly. It was laid for two only, and amagnificent bunch of white roses had, a few minutes before, been brought in and laid infront of one of the places by the director of the rooms himself. A man's small visiting-cardwas leaning against a wineglass. The table was evidently reserved by some one ofimportance, for several late-comers had pointed to it, only to be met by a decided shake ofthe head on the part of the waiter to whom they had appealed. As time went on, this emptytable became the object of some speculation to the three young men.