Van Teyl returned to her presently, a little impressed.
"Thought I knew that chap's face," he observed. "It's Eli Hamblin-- Senator Hamblin, you know."
"A friend and confidant of the President," she murmured. "A Westerner, too. I wonder what he's doing here ... Jimmy!"
"You've just got to be a dear," Pamela begged. "Go to the caddy master, or professional, or some one, and find out whether Mr. Lutchester met him here by accident or whether they arrived together."
"You'll turn me into a regular sleuthhound," he laughed. "However, here goes."
He strolled off again, and Pamela found herself forced to become mundane and frivolous whilst she chatted with some newly-arrived acquaintances. It was not until some little time after her brother's return that she found herself alone with him.
"They arrived within a few minutes of one another," Van Teyl announced. "Senator Hamblin bought a couple of new balls and made some inquiries about the course, but said nothing about playing. Lutchester, who appears not to have known him, came up later and asked him if he'd like a game. That's all I could find out."
Pamela pointed to a little cloud of dust in the distance.
"And there they go," she observed, "together."
Van Teyl threw himself into a chair and accepted the cup of tea which his sister handed him.
"Well," he inquired, "what do you make of it?"
"There's more in that question than you think, James," Pamela replied. "All the same, I think I shall be able to answer it in a few days."
Another little crowd of acquaintances discovered them, and Pamela was soon surrounded by a fresh group of admirers. They all went out presently to inspect the new tennis courts. Pamela and her brother were beset with invitations.
"You positively must stay down and dine with us, and go home by moonlight," Mrs. Saunders, a lively young matron with a large country house close by, insisted. "Jimmy's neglected me terribly these last few months, and as for you, Pamela, I haven't seen you for a year."
"I'd love to if we can," Pamela assured her, "but Jimmy will have to telephone first."
"Then do be quick about it," Mrs. Saunders begged, "It doesn't matter a bit about clothes. We've twenty people staying in the house now, and half of us won't change, if that makes you more comfortable. Jimmy, if you fail at that telephone I'll never forgive you."