e is!" cr

p my eyes and peering eager

. Look, she's seen

sin's pink index finger, which was stretc

t her i

l slim figure, advances which the latter was as surely returning with a c

ste had

r, had been maintained by a fitful correspondence, and constant references to Miss Feste's promised visit to White Ladies-a consummation which we one and all desired-were made for what they were worth. Finally my sister sat down and issued a desperate summons. "My dear, don't keep us waiting any longer. Arrive in August and stay for six months. If you don't, we shall begin to believe what we already suspect-that

baggage was to be consigned to the care of Fitch, who would bring it by rail the same evening

art, therefore, of an hour and a half Jill and I hovered under the shadow of the tall ship, walking self-consciously up and down, or standing looking up at the

l

ho's in sight, but out of earshot, is becoming unbearable. Let's go and have a breather behind the hutment." And

was ine

o away--There!" She seized my arm with a triumph

. I strained my eyes for a glimpse of the slight blue figure, which had left the taffrail and was pres

ted considerable attention, which should have been otherwise directed, with the result that a clergyman and two ladies were within an ace of being overrun by an enormous truckload of swaying baggage and coarsely reviled by a sweating Hercules for their pains. As it was, the sudden diversion of the trolley projected several pieces of luggage on to the quay, occasioning an embryo sta

s Nobby,"

ered an

so as to be all nice and clean wh

id Adèle. "You loo

"And you look glorious. Hullo! You

's an imp

poss

rown eyes regarded me quizzically, the faint f

ever," sh

," said I. "Cleanliness

in Jill. "He has really. Of course, we all h

cousin's arm w

e a dressing-case once. And a steamer-trunk...

ith Nobby-on the front seat of the Rolls, whi

said Adèle, "what a beaut

between an unpleasantly crowded

oes alcohol mean so much to you? I su

f Wight. It looked so exquisite as we were coming in

prophesied, "you shall se

streets, I gave

pices here and there and, sometimes, elms in the hedgerows, and, now and again, a parcel of youngster oaks about a

ar fl

ulder, till the road curled up into the depths of a broad pine-wood, through which it cut, thin, and dead straight, and cool, and strangely solemn. In a flash it had become the nave of a cathedral, immense, solitary. Sombre and straight and tall, the walls rose up to where the swaying roof sobered the mellow sunshine and only let it pass dim and so, sacred. The wanton breeze, caught in the maze of tufted pinnacles, filtered i

ar fl

or a mile it flowed, a lazy pomp of purple, gold-flecked and glowing. Then came soft cliffs of swelling woodland, rising to stay its course with gentle dignity-walls that uplifted eyes found but the dwindled edge of a far mightier flood that stretched and tossed, a leafy waste

mighty heart turning the dance of Death to a triumphant progress, where Blood and Flame rode by w

broke from Adèle, and J

Boy, so that she c

track for the length of a cricket-pitch. The few cubits thus added to our stature e

l

èle, "I shouldn't. I'm quite ready to sit here

ked a

I said. "The others'll b

no

great oak door, which those who built White Ladies hung upon its t

"to inform you that on Wednes

said

ce of the Peace. I shall discriminate between neither rich nor poor. Beggars a

id Daphne. "What

rummed on the table, clearly cudgelling his brains. Suddenly, "I knew it," he cried. "That's the day of

ha

and I fired the ques

ver a million out of cotton, which he sold to the Central Powers at a lower price than Great Britain offered before we tightened the blockade. Never interned, of course. Well, he tr

a painfu

ed uninterruptedly over the rose-red mansion and the spreading park, the brown water and the waving woods-a kingdom of which we had been free

on fell in the battles of the Somme. His substance, never fat, had shrunk to a mere shadow of its former self. The stout old heart fought the unequal fight mon

t half-past two, Merry Down was to be sol

s took our

I fought for?" said I. "For this brut

It's what Derry Bagot and his boy died for,

r Anthony's hea

and," said Adèle. "H

ce," said Berry,

, "of the Society for the Prevent

hook he

. "Some people call it the British

to is 'Charity begins at Home.' Ther

lly confirmed her statement. "It's just piteous.

ugged his

of assassination, I don't see what anybody can do. Of course, if you like, you can reproduce him in wax and then stick pins into the image. But tha

and witches were out

n with a wart-hog. The animal, which, till then, had been laying steadily, became unsettled an

n't you? And I suppose somebody kissed the wart-hog, and it t

looked

her small mouth crammed with food, for which

It wasn't. Besides, you

ty and derision. But when a comparative stranger, whom, with characteristic generosity, I have made free of my heart, seizes a moment which should have been

e," said I. "All

erry. "The slow belly r

from Daphne and Ji

ushing back her chair. "And now let's all have coffee o

ds, and she took Adèle's arm and

wonderf

gic, sceptred with a w

With one intent, Night and the countryside had filled the cup of silence so that it brimmed-a feat that neither cellarer can do alone. The faint sweet scent of honeysuckle stole on its errant way, 'such stuff as dreams are made on,' so that the silke

hair, took the broad steps at a bound and vanished into the darkness. The welter of barks and growls and grunts of expended energy, r

dwelt with some asperity upon the danger of d

of the labourer who has done well and shown himself worthy of his hire. Wise in his generation, he had learned that it is a hard heart which the pleasurable, if mistaken, glow of faithful s

ise save the occasional chink of a

d Berry, "my horoscope

horoscope?

," said I, nodding at Berry. "His is a wonder. You can g

Watering Pot. When I add that a thunderstorm was raging, and that my father had bet five pounds I should be a girl, and had decided to call me 'Hosannah,' you will appreciate that it is no ordinary being who is addressing you. A singularly beautiful infant, it was at once obviou

" said Jonah, "do you a

deity came also meekness, an unshakable

been called after

he more credulous declared to be silver, but whose hallmark persistently defied detection. Then the f

rotested. "Besides,

"I was going to suggest tha

or a tale

on

d. Then she heard it again-a clear tinkle, which seemed to arise from the heart of the stream itself. This surprised the princess very much, because no bells were allowed in her father's kingdom. The old man was a bit of an autocrat, and one morning, when he had been ru

mself out of the water and sat down on a tuft of gra

you knock,' sa

the frog. 'I rang.

' said the princ

,' said the frog. 'A

e princess. 'And, what's

'Half the kingdom goe

the princess. 'An

d the frog, l

'but who wants half a one-horse kingdom tha

uncomfortable, and began to think he must be a waiter at the A

tors do you like be

e princess. 'He's a bit of a fool

wn here with a sieve to-morrow morning. He may be a bit of a fool, but, if he doesn't apply for you

, upon the bank of the trout-stream. Twenty-five minutes later, with a cigarette behind his ear and a nugget of gold in each

ater they w

his half of the kingdom did not include the terri

er, he was a b

u, old chap,

ut of the darkness

urned t

comic cameo like that on demand. But then for years he's bee

ughed mu

o as I asked," she said. "And

urned to the o

at the piano, an

her beautiful mezzo-soprano

emps Qui Commence ever enjoy

wonderf

t to Brooch the incident

e to see the last of an old friend. Once the place had passed into the power of the dog, we should try to forget. It was Adèle's suggestion that she should accompany us. "I'd like to see Brooch," she

ing us on to the London road at a point five miles from Brooch, and, while the view from the hill was as fine as any in the neighbourho

w was commenting upon the power of money and the physiognomy of Mr. Dunkelsbaum-whose photograph had appeared in the paper that very morning, to grace an interview-with marked acerbity. Once in a while a ripple of laughter from A

the unexpected débouchement of a by-road rendered a veritable pitfall for the unwary motorist. I slowed for the turn cautiously, for I knew the place, but

ned was transp

e former, of course, had been travelling too fast to stop, and the burden which the latter was bearing had made it impossible for the other to pass upon the right-hand side. Three sturdy oaks, new felled, one of them full fifty swaying feet in length, all of them girt by chains on to the trolley's back, made a redoubtable obstruction. The

le of the road, looking anxiously in our direction. The next moment they were signalling to us violently, spreading o

ll, I heard a stifled cry. The next

k at the cove on the right

riginal of the photograph over which we had pored that mor

, the other-a long sallow creature with a fa

gentleman"-he indicated Mr. Dunkelsbaum-"hath a motht important engagement there at half-patht two, and, ath you t

I could

said Berry, speaking slowly and disti

e entered from the by-road down which the troll

t. Then I leaned forward as if to examine the d

ss than a deliberate direction to me to postpone Mr. Dunkelsbaum'

an to beat v

s speaki

hange over." He turned to Adèle.

being made, Mr. Du

was no pity about the coarse mouth, which he had twisted into a smile, two deep sneer lines cut into the unwholesome pallor of his cheeks, from under drooping lids two beady eyes shifted their keen

were like

ning the decent shelter of a black tail-coat and making the thick striped legs look shorter than ever. A diamond pin winked in the

igar from his mouth before speaking in a th

hese gattle"-contemptuously he pointed to the waggoner and his great beasts, to whose common

I had my way, nothing but high-powered cars would be allowed on any

What vor are der baths

Dunkelsbaum into the place she had left. With a grunt the fellow made to hoist himself in, when Nobby

pecting him and so too late to recede. The scream of agony which the unfortunate creature emitted, no less than the convulsive way in w

poke at once a

ou yell in mine ear-'ole? Bah!" He turned

the scruff of his neck, hauled him struggling and growling across the barrier. Adèle received him tenderly

. Dunkelsbaum once more heaved himself into the Rolls and sank upon the back seat. B

o, and, as Berry got out to open and hold the gate, I saw our passenger bring out a

er same as Londo

ahead," I repl

ch

I said airily, "Your appoi

olour, half rose from his seat, and

n, 'alf-pas' doo! 'Oo 'as say it voz three? In a qu

to shake w

clutch with a bang. With a startled grunt, Mr. Dunkelsbaum was projected violently on to the sea

devil," wa

anks of rhododendrons sprawling on either side, scudded into a beechwood-pillars all silver-grey, set in a ruffled mass

to the King's highway. But at the very point at which we should leave the enclosure there were crossroads

d, though we should undoubtedly reach The Fountain after the appointed hour, it was quite possible that the proceedings mig

carry Mr. Dunkelsbaum any further. But his reception of such an open declaration of war was certain to be unsuitable for Adèle's

with Sir Anthony. Our identification, therefore, would be only a matter of time, and since, in the absence of a burst or a puncture, our progress to Brooch

we preserved our incognitos, that did not matter. If we could possibly leave him uncer

ther before my mind's eye, which was itself searching feverishly for

-sized stream, so that while there was a little foot-bridge, vehicles that were wishing to pass this way must do so by way of the ford. Beyon

slid down the hill

my uneasiness. Mr. Dunkelsbaum would naturally conclude that I was anxious lest the w

k was w

ed the water rise.... It was half-way to the running-board. It was level-above.... It was lapping the spare wheel, and-we were in the deepest pa

andkerchief and

electric si

e matter?"

tly, hoping that Mr. Dunke

rned sharply, and there was my gentleman in a terrible t

us' go on. I 'ave say it is fital. Sdard der g

ll have to get out. Our only chance

-side door and sprang nimbly on to the f

along,

. As he estimated the distance he was to cover, a bead of perspir

tended h

along,

out of the car till he could reach Berry's hand, and th

haul him half-way to safety, so that for one long hectic moment he hung writhing convulsively, frantically waving his left leg in quest of a footing and alternately calling upon Heaven and frenziedly charging his betrayer not to let go; when, as a result of muscular vibration, his left boot worked loose and fell into the water with a derisive plop; when Nobby, who had been watching the efforts of the storming party in a fev

e and a pressure upon my left

g upon a strip of turf by the edge of the

. An' it is now vive minute to begin. Ach! What vor 'ave you sid dere an' laug

d pebble, and Nobby peered out of some long grass, boot in mouth, to see whether the situation was affording further

away and held her ha

upon the sel

tering hideously, Mr. Dunkelsbaum seized the opportunity of retrieving his boot, whose present condition was apparently even worse than he had expec

en, as I judged, about six feet lay between the back

e thick lips. A sudden violent tug at the boot, which was still in his right hand awaiting replacement, mercifully diverted his attention,

oxysm he turned to me, wild-eyed and gesticulating. "What vor 'ave you stay still? You mus' sdard again an' again, yes. To Brrrooch! To Brrrooch!" He snatched his wat

up a fight, vanished into thin air. The sweep had offere

r going. If we do, you must get in while she's moving.

erry, who had been hitherto afraid to trust

you'll get with a bare foot." He stepped behind the car. "Now, you do as I do, and, when I sa

lsbaum slunk limping to

ent l

d my brot

d the best part of

" I inquired, i

my question provoked

from his behaviour, the reflection that his recent output of vigour had been rendered nugatory by my unreadiness was hurrying Mr. Dunkelsbaum into the valley of insanity. Purple in the face from the unwonted violence of his physical and mental exercise, stre

ready?"

ffirmatory invec

changed into second, uprose a medley of cries and barking. I leaned o

ng and jumping up and down in front of the frantic alien, barking as if he were possessed. Even as I looked, the inevitable happened. Nobby miscalculated his distance and landed too close to the object of his attention

into thi

at the top of the hill, I thr

eet and was in the act of hurling himself in the direction of Nobby, and the latter, with his small tail well over h

e out of sight, and I

aught a

going to l

odd

You see, we're too well known about here to take any chances. And

speak good Engl

you

y record. What's the Anglo-Sax

put your mouth into Italian. Bocca b

lips began to tre

ounced. "Fifteen long months,

onths,

cheeks was glowing as

tly. "That-that's the worst of cutting your

very long ones

e delicate

e th

odd

hat my hair, once a rich mud co

bute that to th

ok my

s with the United States of America

e to believe. If you had, yo

not i

ugged her

while we're on the subject of hair, please remem

ch m

who gives nothing and takes everything-with

violent love-affair. That is as plain as i

d me with a d

s addressing an expert. Tell me,

said I, "it shan

e very

d I. "Can you spe

st bidder. Of that there was no manner of doubt. What was more to the point was that the purchaser, who had paid a good price, was of English blood, and had known

up to him and he was proud to think he was to carry on his-his home." His voice faltered, and something of the old stricken look hung for an instant in the keen grey eyes. The

rled himself across the terrace into my lap and was licking my face with an enthusiast

s wake ca

-law, because, but for the latter's quick wit. Merry Down would have fallen into the ene

d it out. Largely at my expense, I admit. But that's a matter for him and me to settle. I tell you, Sir Anthony, you must thank him

blew hi

ap. Did the servant

sband

in a moment. And now, what happ

u really call him 'Stunkenblotch'? And

s the fellow get up and go for Nobby. Yo

dn't have left you, brother, if I could have thought of

ut up h

. If I hadn't been so weak with laughter I might have boarded

d you g

cupied, I shall try to forget. Suffice it that he perspired with great freedom, and for a long time appeared to be afflicted with an impediment in his speech. Occasionally he addressed me in Pata

r. Dunkelsbaum's behaviour gave me cause to fear for his reason. My theory that some dim-sighted fowl must have mistaken the truant for a piece of refuse met with a furious dismissal, and, from the perfectly poisonous stare with which he declined my offer of assistance to secure his quarry, I was forced to the conclusion that he associated me with its elevation. This discovery caused me much pain, but the rude man w

pose could be served by remaining within sight or earshot of the aba

leave you. Should you be still anxious to a

ed me with a

vant to 'ave ar

you

'It vos Brrrooch, I

d the utmo

ver there. Back the way we came, out of the enclosure, and t

e laughter to subsi

I, "was ref

ded my statement, its predecessors were pale and colourless. Indeed, bu

it was l

owner, he had subjected this remarkable member to the closest scrutiny, and it was in the midst of the other's spirited stud

But there you are. Still, it was imprudent of Mr. Dunkelsbaum to kick him in the ribs. I felt th

diate future, barking like a fiend and striving, so to speak, to take Time by the forelock.

ed, if he's still alive, I should think

t a lift,"

, he asked for it, didn't he? And now shal

ny wiped

s I do, he'd 've been more careful. Who su

mean, sir," said Berr

I. "And meek. Th