Pau we had proved the countryside and found it lovely. This day we had determined to fare farther afiel

ncture and requested to select the venue, we

ing into a gallery. The car, indeed, was standing upon the edge of a brae. Whether this fell sheer or sloped steeply could not be seen, for the first thing which the down-looking eye encountered was a vast plain, rich, sun-bathed, rolling, three hundred feet below. North, south, and east, as far as the sight could follow, was stretching Lilliput. Meadows and poplars and the flash of streams, st

arbes, and, taking out powerful binoculars, subjected the panorama to a curious scrutiny, which might have shattered th

re was flat, certainly, bu

my pocket and sp

rry, "that the obvers

ment, and we both stooped to

, I climbed back into the car, whilst Berr

r, so I lighted a cigarette and tu

this," said my

mo's diadem.' Occupying one of the choicest situations on the famous lake, surrounded by extensive gardens, the varied beauty

the house.... Wait a

t cedars, the sunlit terraces, the cascades, the chestnut groves, the orange and l

hat sound

ed," I agreed.

tance. "But I can just see it all. Fancy living there, a

the paper ou

that the property had

, I found that the lat

ths ago, become the sub

acy, it seemed, had be

rt of Italy was to de

d down t

d, "will drink ch

ns," murmured Jil

ehind suggested that my brother-

of the car, tilted my hat over

of voices

say 'Non'? NONG, man, NONG! You'll str

Monsieur. Je compre

rely. "That's what's the matter wit

hake with laughter. "Alors, en avant, mon brave.

ien ?a,

.... D'abord avec les doigts.... That's

Monsi

seulement où le poulet a re?u la hache, mais je n'aurai pas d

n, Mon

a me rappelle la maison des singes.... Oh, terrible, terrible. Et le parfum.... My dear Herb

ing of Herbert, the remaining

that you have a supple spine. Voici. Tournez, mon ami, to

i, Monsieur! A g

ry. "I said it first.

ll back-tirez. Bon.

t you kneel upon the w

off, you c

suggested that Berry's protest

-moi tranquil. Je ne fais qu

n. Alors, attachez-la ici. Yes, I know it's heavy, but ne montrez pas la langue. Respirez par le nez, man. And don't s

tout, M

, je suis le Comte Blowfly, du Rat Mort, Clacton-on-Sea. Telegraphic

est trop gentil.

heap at the price. What's more, je suis

service,

have to put in a new one, I only trust I shall be out of earshot. Au revoir, mon am

all never forget. Clearly, to be in the arms of Dionysus by eleven o'clock in the

re you? I've just finished. Herbert's been watching me. H

id I grimly.

was most interested. A little dense, you know, but such a nice fellow. He

ng the engine. "Philanthropy

pon the step, B

that," he said. "Besides, I've go

d Jill. "Besides," she added, searching for h

emples.... For a moment he rocked to and fro a

ack against

"And it was the best

*

and pillared and carrying its four hundred years as they were forty-dropped

ed five kilometres

set on a hill

ed upon the very point of the hill, towered a cathedral. The size of it turned the city into a close. Its site, its bulwarks, however, turned the church into a castle. Here was an abbot filling the post of constable. The longer you gazed, the stronger the paradox became. Pictures of peace and war became inextricably confused. Men-at-arms mumbled their offices; steel caps concealed tonsures: emb

y-wall. Full in the sunlight, sheltered from the wind, the pleasaunce made an ideal refectory. The view of the mount

ater Ping dre

ly?" cried Adèle, app

d I, advancing. "H

nah, helping Daphne to

yed being

w nice of you!

, a compliment

so," I sai

you've quite done scratch

rute!" sa

your

epeated the

assumed an attitude

nto his face. "It must be clo-osing time." He changed his tone to one of indicative solici

ls,' he would probably be a complete failure. On the terrace beneath the walls of St. Ber

e was a roar of l

a grey tweed suit dash for the gateway. As we looked, a grey

t was quite empty. After a moment I returned to pick up the

It was quite evident that, for car and passenger to approach without our knowledge,

dent, we placed the hat in the tw

Jonah and I were wash

y brother-in-law. "I've read it all u

's that?"

ry. "The monks used to come a

ey howl for?

the gateway. "And now we come to the gate. Originally one-half its present width, it was widened by the orders of Gilbert the Gluttonous. The work, in which he took the deepest interest, was carried out under his close supervision. Indeed, it was not until the demolitio

e fifteenth and sixteenth centuries, while at the top a l

ery of Rudolph the Rash, who in the fifteenth year of his office decided to take a bath. His eventual restoration to health was celebrated with great rejoicing. From that window Sandwich, surnamed the Slop-pail, was wont to dispense charity in the shape of such sack as he found himself reluctantly unable to consume. Such self-denial s

e, "and I'm sure the cathedral won't be half so i

n all over again." He paused to pass his hand across his eyes. Then he flung out an arm. "We now enter

fled up

stared at thrones, pulpit, organ-case and a great frieze-all of them carved with a cunning which money could never buy, and to-day great love and piety are too poor to purchase-we

aid a plea

suit-a nice-looking boy of about twenty summers. His thick, dark ha

d I. "You're

ologise. I'm afraid I was awfully rude to laugh lik

d away h

oy hesitated, like some wild thing. "Don't go," I added. "It's quite all right.

ow, b

ier. Besides, we use the same hatter. So let

staying at Pau, and,

ar before. Didn't you g

oy st

. I-I thi

y extraordin

nued. "We were on the w

e got one of the new mo

the gate, talkin

bonnet was open, and I had promised to teach hi

sweet?" said

ion start

t?" he said

wonderful,"

it

iator, a little silver reproduction of the Ares Ludovisi knoc

t," said the boy sudden

l breathlessly. "It's awfully genero

it looks. You were in th

erchangeable, but the miracle came off. Once Ares was in his

he insisted. "Please do. I

d," said Jill. "Why

her we strolled up the terrace. Jonah was

ister, "is this

t idea," said I. "But

as the reply. "They're li

Berry une

's the matter?

cally-aren't we? Very good. Let's encourage this friendship. Let it swell into an attachment. They're far too young to think

you're not laying at all. You're getting broody." With t

hildren, I suppose, attract children. Let him be

it to you. Subject to the usual formalities

-child's doing on his own, I can't imagine. I should think he's a ward in Chancery who's given his guardians the

a playground. Wherever they go, everybody'll drop their tools and go down on their knees

I see what it is. You'

find the trick of Jill's heart. Only a child can do that. She might marry him easily-the lover, I mean. And she'd be happy, of course. But she'd miss the biggest thing in life. Well, eligible playmates are pretty scarc

turned back the

long s

e first thing to do 's to find out

r, "is the very last

ng taught to drive the two-seater. The environs of Saint-Bertrand-de-Comminges do not make a good school, but mast

at the top

ll was a picture, so was the boy. His gravity was gone. The fine, frank face was fairly alight with happiness, the brown eyes dancing, the strong white teeth flashin

we stood ma

us with the ta

to drive. He's coming to lunch to-morrow, and then we're

onah emerged f

ractise reversing through goats. It's all arranged. Five million of the best new-laid goats a

essed her

lly going there, but, if he did.... Well, when he says he's

iously scathing criticism was phras

ed amid a roa

mascot too, we had to swap cars; for, as the only two mechanics, Jonah and I never travelled together. I was sorry about

proposing to return by Bagnères-de-Bigorre, and suggeste

"I must." Then he bowed to Daphne and to us

e tu

cried heartily. "You

ou're Capta

er-by the way, I don't

oy hesitated. Then

er do I,

*

and I determined to cut Bagnères-de-Bigorre out of our itinerary and return to Pau by the way by which

ected the way argued a belief not so much in progress as in esprit de corps. As often as not the carts moved three abreast, their human complements comparing excited notes, gossiping and making merry with as much disregard of their whereabouts as if they were gathered in a familiar tavern. As for the waggons, these were frequently unatten

he horn by his side, many an infuriated chauffeur would have lost his reason. It is a kind of safety-valve. Berry's employment of this convenient accessory was characterised by a savagery which, if deplorable, is n

ified by the knowledge that it was my turn to change the wheel, Berry ventured to point

ng as we ran i

we could find a chemist? My head

sked a postman. An apothecary of sorts, it appeared, was plying his t

tually produced to us, but, after a little discussion, we purchase

pidly growing dark and it had become cold. Adèle was tired and had had no tea. The market was up, w

taking my arm. "He's probably just aroun

t around

led by the lingering idea that Berry was searching for us, and that we were just avoiding him at every turn. After another two minutes, I took my protesting wife back to the chemist's

ely Berry stumb

. "A plant! Quick! O

at him

ng with sweat. Also his hat was miss

hurt,"

, cul de sac-pulled up-nex' second, both doors open and toughest cove 've ever seen told me t' hop it-in bad American-round to t' left here-course I tumbled at once-dirty work-tried t' hit him-nothing doing-tried to lock car-couldn't-hauled out anyhow-no good yelling-ran find you-one ray hope-out of petrol-I never stopped engine-petered out on its own-can on step, I know-but they'll have to locate trouble-and then decant-left again her

as t

et on our left, about forty pace

ruction, our quarry would have been gone. As it was, I flung

n and felt for the high-tension wire. At that moment the engine re-started.... For a second whoever was driving fumbled with the gear

my hand was bleeding, but I could

e car came gently to res

panted Berr

I turned to a gaping youth. "Allez che

me up to

-up? I guess you'll get tired of answering before you're th

tly. "And just come out o

Even as I spoke, with a scream of agony the latter emerged from the car. Holding

id the voice

he truth, we're rather particular about our cushions. Till now, no

ery square-faced gentle

ognomy. But I guess I'll wait for the police." And, with that, he drew a cigar from h

to think

had not dreamed of. Having lost one throw, the fellow was doubling his stake. Hook having broken in his hand, he had dropped it and picked up Crook. His game was to bluff the French police. That was why he was staying in the car-to give the impression of ownership.

for he took the cigar from

it, aren't y

five minutes later we were all o

e, but I had the better of him in French, and after a moment he let that iron go. He fought very hard for the services of a mechanic, but I was determined that the engi

s best known to himself, was adopting an injure

uttered. "In the face o

read them through, while you were looking for me. And all the details

ry. "I used to think I could blu

n the chief of the police was summon

irst-shortly, but

g again, an assault had been made-an unprovoked assault-seriously damaging the car. Thereupon he had sent for the police. Now, foiled in their enterprise, the thieves, he understood, were actually daring to say that he had assaulted them. One of t

ou could have

onus of raising that issue he had thrust on to me. I was to broach t

ere manifest

t at all that we

icial asked me what we had to s

to tell

to us, police and robber stared at me as

tainly ver

. It took the united sympathy and assurance of the whole personnel of the station, to smooth the ruffia

ecital I had to

ently because it was his duty to let me speak. His cold, indifferent air, th

ing to keep my temper

l

not blame you. My friend has told a good tale. At present

ence can y

n his own showing I cannot have seen them. Yet I will tell you

oat. "I always carry 'em here." And, with that, h

ands, the chief of the

is number?

170

his ey

he number

23

ded the Pass and

he said

ed at him

' don't go putting it up that you're J. M

ds the truth

standing without in the street. A

iumph the imposto

. "Well, I guess I'll be mov

l do nothing of the sort." He turned to the chief of the police a

r a seat. Had I stood in his shoes, I should have don

t down c

ansel. Look at the Pass, please, and check me. Captain Mansel was born at Guildford, Surrey, is it not

the wrath was genuine, the passion real. There was something beastly ab

ow curiously, and when, a moment later, the latter stretche

storm d

December the fifteenth, 1891." He sighed profoundly. Then: "You

of the pol

. He is there,

y no

win brother

sieur. He is ca

Berry. "Very likely.

" said Herbert, ste

dded at the official. "Just tell this gentleman about th

he swore to me: and in all honesty he swore to the car. For this, since Ping and Pong were duplicates, he may be forgiven. He described the morning's incid

street, where, displaying a histrionic ability which was truly French, he proceed

uched the chief of the

cousin may have reached Pau. If

to peer right and le

y had dis

*

p an anxious Adèle. Then we filled up with petrol, had my make

scene of our meet

Laffargue shrugged his shoulders and glanced at the clock. It looked as if his brother was waiting for him to come off duty. I began to wonder whether the two were going to blow my ten francs. During one of the arguments I shot my bolt. I asked him to tell his twin-bro

re or so we s

h

"Our friend of the square jaw cuts in and, wit

d Berry. "And we

ly," s

beat three ace

etting Herbe

my wife. "Herbert'

," said Berry.

*

ing morning that a letter wa

RS. PL

I'm so excited I can hardly write. I know my name now. You see, I used to be the Marquis Lecco. Then, when Father died, they said he'd

y sincere