7

How Jill Enjoyed Herself, and Len

and Winnie were Made to Waste Valuable Time

Berry lighted a fresh cigar, tossed the match into the river and then lay back on the rug we had spread on the turf.

“This,” he said, “was the site of the pediluvium.”

A sweet-smelling ghost beside me lifted her voice.

“I’m almost afraid,” she said, “to ask what that was.”

“Where the monks washed their feet,” said Berry. “Once a week we used to do what we could. And when we were through, the water was sold to the faithful at fourpence a pint.”

Jill’s voice lightened the darkness.

“You are disgusting,” she said.

“Not at all,” said Berry. “If it did them no good, at least it did them no harm, and out of the proceeds we erected a private brewery which had to be smelt to be believed. The abbot declared it open by flooring a quart at one draught.”

“Abbots didn’t drink beer,” said Jill.

“I beg your pardon,” said Berry: “I never drank anything else. During my, er, supremacy the community was also enriched by the provision of a fried-fish-pond, two shocking squints and an elegant bear garden where the monks could rough-house. All traces of these have, I regret to see, disappeared.”

There had been no cool of the day, but with nightfall a slant of air had stolen up from the sea, moving on the face of the river that used to serve the abbey whose bones it keeps. No relics are better cared for. As jewels upon a cushion, the rags and tatters of glory, the broken pieces of magnificence are presented upon a fair lawn – smooth as a bowling-green, stuck here and there with flowers. A strip of pavement speaks for the chapter-house: an exquisite row of arches tells of ‘the studious cloister’ it once adorned: a lonely pulpit remembers the lector’s voice: odd columns, steps that lead nowhere, a window without a wall and doorways that have survived the courts they shut show forth The Preacher’s sentence, ‘All is vanity.’

We had, really, no right to be there. At dusk the precincts are closed to the public view. But the spot had found favour in our eyes, and when we were ousted at sundown, we made up our minds to come back. Daphne and Jonah were gone – to dine alone at White Ladies and answer some telephone call, but the girls and Berry and I had supped at the village inn. We had then returned to the abbey and, berthing the Rolls in the shadows, had clambered, none too easily, over a wall…

Deserving nothing at all, we had our reward.

A crescent moon was commending another world, where ruins, lawns and water made up a stately pleasance fit for the ease of kings. Here were no tears. The past was not dead, but sleeping: and the present was too rare to be true. Reality was transfigured before us. All the world became a stage, the scenery of which was enchanted.

“Is the Rolls’ bonnet locked?” said Berry, out of the blue.

“It is,” said I. “Why d’you ask?”

“I wondered,” said Berry. “That’s all.”

Perdita lifted her voice.

“I know why he asked,” she said. “Because of those men who were having a meal at The Drum.”

“I won’t deny it,” said Berry. “I may be wrong, but I found them unattractive, and I think they’d look very well in a prison yard.”

“I entirely agree,” said I. “As ugly a couple of toughs as ever I saw. More than ugly. Evil. But people who own a sports Lowland don’t go about stealing cars.”

“I know,” said Berry, “I know. But neither do wallahs like that come down to a place like this to study the pretty secrets of country life. And they took a marked interest in us, as no doubt you saw.”

“They did,” said Perdita Boyte. “And I cannot think why – unless they’re bent on some crime and they have an idea that our presence may cramp their style.”

“I trust that it won’t,” said Berry. “I should simply hate to obstruct two gentry like that.”

I saw Jill glance over her shoulder.

“If they knew we were here,” I said quickly, “I think their suspicions would fade. I can hardly conceive a locality less suited to the activities of a crook.”

But Berry did better still.

“There was once,” he announced, “a King, whose looking-glass told him the truth. One day his councillors suggested that the principal town of the kingdom should be bypassed without delay. The King listened to their proposals.

“Then—

“‘Half a minute,’ he said, and whipped upstairs to the bathroom, to have a word with his glass.

“The latter heard him out. Then—

“‘Your crown’s not straight,’ it said shortly.

“‘Damn my crown,’ said the King. ‘What about this bypass business?’

“‘That’s all right,’ said the glass. ‘Only take it round by the south.’

“‘South?’ cried the King. ‘But they’ve planned to take it round by the north.’

“‘So would you,’ said the glass, ‘if you’d bought all the land on that side. Of course, if you want to present them with half a million pounds…’

“As soon as he could speak—

“‘The dirty dogs,’ said the King. ‘The–’

“‘Now don’t be hasty,’ said the glass. ‘Besides, people who live in glass houses shouldn’t throw bricks.’

“‘Are you suggesting,’ said the King, ‘that I have ever–’

“‘I was looking ahead,’ said the glass, darkly. ‘Have you any idea what they’re asking for Bramble Bush?’

“There was a pregnant silence. The estate of Bramble Bush had been in the market for years. What was more to the point, it lay south of the principal town.

“‘Oh, and while you’re here,’ said the glass, ‘you’ve got some egg on your–’

“But the King was gone.

“Two days later Bramble Bush passed to the crown, and, twenty-four hours after that, the King informed his council that the bypass must go to the south of the principal town.

“‘You can’t do that,’ said everyone.

“‘What d’you mean – can’t?’ said the King.

“‘Well, it’s not convenient, for one thing,’ said Privy Seal.

“‘Yes, it is,’ said the King. ‘Most convenient. If you take it through Bramble Bush–’

“‘Can’t do that,’ said Green Cloth. ‘The owner of Bramble Bush will never give us his land.’

“‘Of course he won’t,’ said the King: ‘but everyone knows he’ll sell it. Bramble Bush has been in the market for years.’

“‘And why?’ said Green Cloth. ‘Because Buy Bramble Bush, buy trouble is the motto of the house.’

“‘Go on,’ said the King, paling.

“‘Fact,’ said Gold Stick, shortly. ‘As trustees of the kingdom’s welfare, we can hardly fly in the face of–’

“‘Half a minute,’ said the King, rising, and ran upstairs to his glass.

“‘You’re a good one,’ he said. ‘What about this motto?’

“‘What motto?’ said the glass.

“‘Buy Bramble Bush, buy trouble,’ said the King. ‘And I’ve bought the blasted place.’

“‘In that case,’ observed the glass, ‘the mischief is done. I told you not to be hasty. And I’ll tell you another thing – you’ll have to cut out that port. Your nose is getting all gnarled.’

“With a frightful effort, the King controlled his voice.

“‘One thing at a time,’ he said thickly. ‘What about Bramble Bush?’

“‘Well, you can’t go back,’ said the glass, ‘so you’d better go on. Tell them to lock up their motto and lose the key.’

“The King returned to the council-room.

“‘I decline,’ he said, ‘to pander to superstition. The bypass will proceed – to the south. Let the plans be prepared and submitted in two days’ time.’

“Half an hour later his solicitor rang him up.

“‘I say,’ he said, ‘do you want to sell Bramble Bush?’

“‘I might,’ said the King. ‘Who to?’

“‘I’m told it’s a syndicate,’ said the solicitor. ‘Anyway I can get you a profit of fifty thousand pounds.’

“‘Good enough,’ said the King. ‘Accept the offer at once. And don’t you take any cheques. The money must be in my bank by tomorrow night.’

“‘Consider it done,’ said the lawyer. ‘I suppose you don’t want to buy land to the north of the principal town?’

“The King’s heart leaped like a trout.

“‘I might,’ he said, ‘provided it wasn’t too dear.’

“Two days later the King informed his council that he had changed his mind.

“‘To use,’ he declared, ‘the beautiful words of Gold Stick – words, my friends, with which I am sure you concur – as trustees of the kingdom’s welfare, we must not fly in the face of writing upon the wall. Buy Bramble Bush, buy trouble may or may not be true: but if we were to purchase it out of the public funds and if thereafter misfortune were to fall upon my people, we should never forgive ourselves. In a word, my friends, I was wrong – and you were right. The bypass must be made to the north, and the land had better be purchased without delay.’

“So the King made a profit of a quarter of a million pounds, most of which, because he was kindly, he gave to the poor, while the councillors lost a packet – as they deserved. And the motto which Green Cloth had coined became a proverb, and the looking-glass was given a golden frame. But that wasn’t much good, for, only a fortnight later, it made itself so offensive about a little melon the King had left on his ears that he tore it down and had it cast into a well. And there you may see it shining, if ever you look down a well on a sunny day.

“Now that’s one of the tales I used to tell the monks after Benedictine. It’s not surprising they worshipped me. I used to have to have a new habit once a month.”

“Why?” said Jill.

Berry waved his cigar.

“Veneration,” he said simply. “They kissed the hem so much, they wore it away.”

Here the Knave rose up where he was and let out a growl.

His eyes were upon the river, the half of which was in darkness because of the pride of chestnuts which neighboured the opposite bank: but though we watched and listened, we neither saw nor heard any sign of life, and after a full two minutes the dog dismissed the matter and laid himself down on the sward.

“Water rat,” said Berry, yawning. “And, much as I hate to remind you, if we’re to be home by midnight I think we ought to be gone.”

As we made our way past the ruins, a hand came to rest on my shoulder and Perdita breathed in my ear.

“That wasn’t a water rat.”

I tucked a slim arm beneath mine and lowered my head.

“I know,” I said. “I think it was the dip of a paddle. But what if it was? The river is open to all.”

“I know. But there’s something wrong. Don’t think I’m afraid. I’m not. But there’s something that’s really wicked abroad tonight.”

“There’s a witch abroad,” said I, “if that’s what you mean – with the scent of flowers in her hair and the breath of the dawn on her lips.”

“Don’t be stupid. I mean what I say.”

“So do I,” said I. “You’re dangerous enough by day: but by night you seduce the senses – and that’s the truth.”

Miss Boyte withdrew her arm.

“Will you be serious?” she said.

“I am being serious,” I said. “Come all the Powers of Darkness, and I’ll commend your charm.”

“I can’t do more than warn you. You know that when I sense something—”

With a sudden movement, I picked her up in my arms.

“I know you’re wise,” I said. “I know you’ve a curious sense that we haven’t got. And you know that I honour it blindly – I will tonight. But what you don’t know is that you are so lovely and natural that when you confide in a man he can think of nothing at all but his confidante. It’ll pass, of course. I’ll pull myself together before we get to the Rolls. But it’s…rather fun to let the world slip for a moment…especially if, as you say, there’s trouble ahead.”

A child laid her head against mine.

“Don’t I know that it is?” she said softly. “And now put me down, there’s a dear. Remember, we’ve got Jill with us. And I give you my word I’ll be glad when we’re under way.”

Her saying brought me up with a jerk. If Perdita Boyte was excelling each mortal thing, my cousin was ‘such stuff as dreams are made on’ – a very delicate texture, to be used with infinite care…

Three minutes later I lifted the Rolls from the shadows into the moonlit mystery that stood for the Bloodstock road.

That we were being followed was perfectly clear. When we had entered the Rolls, I had neither seen nor heard any other car: but we had not been moving two minutes before a car had appeared, going the way we were going, a drive and a chip behind. Moving much faster than we, it had closed to a hundred paces or thereabouts: and there, at that distance, it stayed. Had it maintained the speed at which it approached, it must, of course, have passed us almost at once.

All this my mirror had told me, for the driver behind me was keeping his headlights dimmed.

When I made him free of my news, Berry, sitting beside me, smothered an oath.

“And the girls and all,” he growled. “What the ruby hell does it mean?”

“To be perfectly honest,” said I, “I haven’t the faintest idea.”

“Assume it’s those wallahs we saw – well, what in the world’s their game? Robbery’s out of the question. The stuff the girls are wearing wouldn’t make twenty pounds.”

“I can only suppose,” said I, “that they are mistaking us for somebody else. Do you connect them at all with the water rat?”

“I would if I could, but I can’t. You can’t connect two things with a chain of missing links. That sound was the dip of a paddle – I’ll lay to that: and I have an idea that someone was holding water under the opposite bank. They may have been there to watch us: or they may have stayed in the shadows because they didn’t want to be seen: then again they may have been lovers… I’m damned if I know what to think.”

“Shall I have a dart,” said I, “at shaking these fellows off?”

“Why not?” said my brother-in-law.

I put down my foot.

However, our luck was out, for the bend ahead was hiding a level-crossing whose gates were shut.

Before these a car was waiting, and as I drew up in its wake, I saw that its doors were open and uniformed police were standing on either side.

“Hullo,” said Berry, “a hold-up. That’s what it is. The police are using the crossing to stop all cars. Now how will our friends like this? Are they going to submit to inspection? Or as soon as they see the police, will they do a bunk?”

“Here they are,” said I. “And it is the Lowland all right. Show the police your card, and make a complaint.”

With my words an inspector of police moved into my headlights’ beam.

“Better still,” said Berry, and raised his voice. “What’s the trouble, Colyer?”

The inspector spun round on his heel and came up to the Rolls.

For a moment he peered at Berry.

Then—

“Oh, good evening, sir,” he said. “I’m sorry to stop you like this, but as soon as we’re through with that car we’ll let you go. I needn’t ask if you’re carrying contraband goods.”

My brother-in-law whistled.

“Smuggling, eh? So you’ve reason to think…”

“Very good reason, sir. Some – some highly valuable stuff has been landed tonight. And it’s got to be stopped somehow. We’ve simply got to get it. The roads are closed round here for thirty-five miles.”

“Then let me commend to your notice the gentry behind this car.”

“Go on, sir,” said the inspector. “What do you know?”

Swiftly Berry told him what had occurred.

The inspector fingered his chin.

“Too good to be true,” he said. “They’re the men we want – they’re right at the top of the trade. But they’d never travel the stuff. And without it I can’t do nothing. They’ll laugh in my face, they will. And I’ll have to let them go – two o’ the wickedest blackguards as ever called for a Scotch.” He pushed back his cap and wiped the sweat from his brow. “Still, I’ll hold them here for a while, an’ give you a pretty start. All the same, sir, if you’ll forgive me, I don’t think they’re following you. If they’re who I think they are, they’re on big business tonight.”

“I think you’re wrong,” said Berry, “but perhaps you’re right. But give us ten minutes’ start: we’ve a couple of ladies behind.”

“I’ll see to that, sir. Excuse me…”

A moment later the crossing gates were opened and we followed the car before us over the rails. As we regained the road, I heard the gates close behind us and settled myself in my seat. If the Lowland was properly tuned, she could move as fast as the Rolls: but with ten minutes’ start…

As we swam through the scented air, Berry spoke over his shoulder, relating what had occurred and explaining that smuggling was rife on some of our coasts.

“But what do they smuggle?” cried Jill.

“Brandy and silk and – and all sorts of stuff on which the duty is high.”

“What was it tonight?”

“I don’t know at all. ‘Highly valuable stuff,’ he said. But it must be pretty precious to warrant precautions like that. Think of the police it takes to close every road running out for thirty miles round.”

“If you hadn’t known the inspector, I suppose they’d have searched the car?”

“Roughly,” said Berry. “As a matter of fact, they wouldn’t have bothered us much. You see, we’re obviously honest: and they go by the look of the people as much as anything else.”

“Still, it’s just as well you knew him. They were searching the car in front, and when they let us through, they shut the gates in the face of the car behind. How did you happen to know him?”

“As a magistrate, my darling. I’ve often met him at Brooch.”

With his words I had the shock of my life.

An unfamiliar vibration was running out of the steering into my wrists…

There could be no doubt about it. One of our tyres was flat.

As I brought the Rolls to rest, I considered our case. This was disquieting. We were still on the main highway, and the police and the level-crossing were six miles off. So, no doubt, was the Lowland: but the latter would be released in three minutes’ time. And I found the puncture surprising. The tyre which was flat – the off hind – had done less than two hundred miles.

Berry and I worked in silence – with all our might, while Perdita stood beside us, holding the torch: but the darkness fought against us, hiding our tools and making our fingers fumble the simple task.

As I drew the wheel from its hub—

“Listen,” I breathed. “We must not be caught with you. If you should hear them coming before we’re through, whip into that wood with Jill and lie low till I call.”

“All right.”

I gave the wheel to Berry and rolled the spare into place…

It was as he was withdrawing the jack, whilst I was tightening the wheel cap with frantic blows, that I heard in the distance the drone of a coming car.

“Get in and switch on,” I roared. “Get into the car.”

Twice more I slammed the spanner. Then I flung the tools in the car and leaped for the driver’s seat. As I let in the clutch, I saw the lights of the Lowland half a mile off. This in the driving-mirror – I had not dared look behind.

It was touch and go, for we had a standing start: but the other was going all out and coming up hand over fist.

I called on the Rolls: and even in that moment the way in which she responded lifted my heart. No thoroughbred could have done more. When I flicked her into top gear, the Lowland was forty yards off. And then she was thirty…twenty…making to pass.

And there she stayed – a short twelve paces in rear, to the right of the road. We were moving as fast as she, and she could not get by.

“I give you best,” said Berry. “I thought we were done.”

“I was just going to jam them,” said I. “I can hold them now all right, and I think I can make a bit: but I can’t get away.”

“What the hell does it mean?” said Berry.

“I wish I knew. And we can’t go on like this. For one thing, it isn’t safe. I may have to give way any moment to save a smash.”

“Where do we turn?”

“We can’t – at this pace. We should at Maidenhair – in about four miles. If only we could, they’d be done: they don’t know the roads as I do, and if they tried to keep up they’d break their necks.”

“What then?” said my brother-in-law.

“We must hope for Bloodstock,” I said. “I can’t believe we’ll make it, and, if we do, the place’ll be fast asleep. But what can they do if we stop in the heart of the town?”

“That tyre – could they have done it?”

“Easy enough,” said I, “if you know your job. They placed the nail after supper and left us to work it in.”

By now we had gained a little – the hooded lights of the Lowland were sixty yards off. Such a lead, of course, was useless: and, as I had said to Berry, the pace was too hot to last. I determined to make a great effort to gain the room I must have if I was to slow for the corner at Maidenhair.

As a draper tears cloth, we ripped the veil of night for the next two miles. Broad and black and empty, the road was permitting a speed which embarrassed the wits. Our headlights glared upon a rise: before I could gauge the gradient, the Rolls was up. As I marked a wall on our left, a gust of murmur reported that we had passed it by. An avenue flung itself at us: before I had read the illusion, I was taking the bend beyond. For us there was no present: before we could think, the future became the past. Looking back, I fully believe that my eyes directed my hands without making use of my brain. Be that as it may, I never have moved so fast on the open road. But the Lowland was tuned for the track, and though I increased our lead, I could not gain what I needed if I was to turn to the right.

The corner was very sharp and the Rolls was a heavy car. If I was to bring her round, I must so much reduce my speed that the Lowland would be upon us before I could make the turn. She was ninety yards behind us – or so I judged: but ninety yards is not much – to a car which is moving at eighty-nine miles an hour.

I could not think what to do. And then, a mile from the turning, I had the idea.

As though the Rolls was flagging, I began to reduce my speed. With the tail of my eye I watched the Lowland approach. Nearer and nearer she came. A quarter of a mile from the corner she pulled out to pass. I let her come on. When her nose was abreast of my shoulder, I brought up my speed to hers. And there, for a moment, I held her. She was badly placed, of course, and strained every nerve to get by. Then I saw the Maidenhair signpost – and stamped on my brakes…

As the Lowland shot by the turning, I whipped into third, put the wheel hard over and let the Rolls go. The great car entered the by-road as though on the wings of the wind.

“I’m much obliged,” said Berry. “The secret of success is surprise. But I wish you’d told me first. When I saw their snout beside us, I damned near died.”

I switched to the left by a barn and put out my lights.

“I’m taking no risks,” I said, and wiped the sweat from my face.

I confess I was as good as my word. The course I set was fantastic. Will o’ the Wisp himself would have had his work cut out to follow the line I took. If this delayed our arrival by half an hour, at least we had put the Lowland out of the race. From the moment we left the main road, we saw her no more.

As I brought the Rolls to rest by our own front door, Jill’s arms went about my neck, and I felt her lips brush my ear.

“Oh, Boy, it was lovely. I’ve never been so fast. That car was racing us, wasn’t it? I suppose they think they beat us – unless they saw us turn off. Why didn’t you come straight home?”

“I don’t know,” said I. “It – it seemed a shame to come in. And now you go up to bed. I’m going to put the Rolls away.”

“All right. I did love it so.”

“I’m so glad, sweetheart,” I said.

Perdita was standing beside me, twisting her hands.

She seemed about to say something… And then she changed her mind and followed Jill into the hall.

I let in the clutch and drove round to the stableyard.

I put the Rolls in the coach house and shut the doors. Then I entered the harness-room to let myself into the yard. There I switched on the light to show me the latch. As my hand went out to this, some instinct made me look round.

Two pairs of eyes were regarding me quietly enough.

They belonged to our friends of the Lowland – the two ‘unattractive wallahs’ to whom I had given the slip forty minutes before.

Feeling rather dazed, I set my back to the door.

“Say it,” said the taller, and his fellow began to laugh.

“There’s a lot I could say,” said I: “but I’ll wait till you’re under arrest.”

“What for?” said the taller, whose name I learned later was ‘Len.’

I had no answer ready. Had I been asked to do so, I could not have made a charge. I knew that their intentions were evil, but nothing more.

“Take your time,” said Len, with his beady eyes upon mine.

With his words I heard a snuffle below me. The Knave had come to find me and had his nose to the sill.

“Seek Berry,” I said, still looking Len in the face.

The latter frowned.

“English’ll do,” he said shortly. “What have we done?”

“Well, you’ve got across me, for one thing. And—”

“Now isn’t that funny?” said Len. He jerked his head at the other, shaking with mirth. “If you were to ask Winnie here, he’d say that you’d got across me.”

“Would he, indeed?” said I. “And how would he work that out?”

Len wrinkled a sinister brow.

“I’ll give you two guesses,” he said. “And here’s a hint. When I show a squirt what I want – well, I don’t like disobedience, and that’s a fact.”

“I’m like that, too,” said I. “When I cold-shoulder a swine, I expect to be left alone.”

Winnie was plucking his lip as the blood came surging into his fellow’s face. As the latter lurched forward he set a hand on his arm. Len shook him off and came on.

I began to draw back my right arm…

And then I saw the pistol.

“Did you say ‘swine’?” said Len, and thrust the mouth of his weapon beneath my belt.

White in the face, the unfortunate Winnie gave tongue.

“He isn’t worth it, Len. Don’t do him in.”

At the risk of seeming ungrateful, I must confess my belief – that Winnie was thinking more of his safety than mine. Be that as it may, at that most critical moment, we all of us heard Berry coming – over the cobbled yard.

Before I could think—

“Breathe a word,” hissed Len, “and I drill your guts.”

All things considered, it seemed better to let Berry ‘buy it’ than lose my life.

We heard him come straight to the door.

Then—

“Boy,” he said, “are you there?” and struck the oak with his fist.

At once Len drew the latch and opened the door: as it moved, this screened us both from the stableyard. As Berry stepped into the room, Len thrust me back with his left hand with all his might – thus slamming the door behind Berry and putting me back in my place. In that same moment he must have gone backwards himself, for I know he was well out of reach in the midst of the room: but his movement had been so swift that I never saw him make it, close as I was – and I think that that did him great credit, for he was a heavy man.

“Now isn’t that nice?” said Berry.

Len looked him up and down.

“You gave it that name,” he said shortly.

“Well, don’t you think so? I mean you and your fish-faced friend with the bit of glass on his tie have been trying to bring this off for over an hour.”

“Bring what off?”

“Forgive me,” said Berry, “but I thought you desired our acquaintance. I mean, recent events were suggesting that that was at the back of your mind. And permit me to say that had we been by ourselves, you would have attained your ambition some twenty-five miles from here. But the ladies disliked your appearance – you know what women are. I argued with them, you know. I said I was perfectly sure that you couldn’t be as vile as you looked. But I could do nothing with them.” He took out a cigarette. “I don’t mind a felon, myself, if he knows his place. And I’m told that you and your, er, familiar are right at the top of the tree. The police spoke most warmly about you.”

“Very kind of them,” said Len, grimly.

“They did indeed,” said Berry. “I don’t know your names, of course, but the moment I said ‘a dirty, over-dressed Hebrew with beady eyes and a most engaging habit of sucking his teeth,’ they got you at once. All the same, I wish…”

“Messrs Len and Winnie,” said I, “my brother-in-law.”

“Not the Pooh?” said Berry. “It can’t be. He never had heart-disease.”

“What’s that?” said Winnie, starting.

“Well advanced,” said Berry, “if you ask me. I should try and avoid excitement of any kind. I told the police that if they wanted to get you, they’d better look sharp.”

Winnie turned an unearthly green.

“It’s a lie,” he mouthed. “It’s a—”

His fellow rounded upon him.

“Cut it out,” he spat, “you —.”

“He can’t,” said Berry, mournfully. “An operation would be futile. The anaesthetic alone would—”

“And you.”

Berry raised his eyebrows.

“I like to think,” he said, “that you will reconsider the propriety of that remark. That you’ve gone a long way to meet me, I don’t deny: but this interview was not of my seeking, and that I receive you at all argues a broad-mindedness on my part which many would consider quixotic or even undignified. Yes, I see the rod: but I don’t think you’ll let it off. You see, if you did – well, Colyer would know who’d done it. He was that nice inspector who spoke so warmly of you. ‘Blackguards,’ he said. ‘Two of the wickedest blackguards that ever walked into a trap.’ So he’s got you taped, hasn’t he? And what with the Press and the wireless—”

“Say that again.”

My brother-in-law sighed.

“I do wish you’d listen,” he said. “I hate repeating myself. Never mind. How far did you get?”

“Wot the police said.”

“About the blackguards?” said Berry. “Two of the ugliest blackguards that ever walked out of a trap?”

“‘Out of’ or ‘into’?”

Berry put a hand to his head.

“‘Into,’ I think. I’m not sure. It was one or the other, I know. Wait a minute. We’d been talking of flogging. Some prisoners, he said, never eat the day before they’re to be flogged. No appetite, you know. Now I find that very peculiar. You can understand a man toying with his breakfast upon the morning itself, but—”

“Gawd ’elp,” said Winnie, and wiped the sweat from his face.

Len cursed him savagely. Then he returned to Berry, who was lighting his cigarette.

“Wot did he say?” he demanded.

“‘Gawd ’elp,’” said Berry, staring. “I suppose it to be a prayer. All the same, I can’t help feeling—”

“The busy,” yelled Len. “The busy. Wot was it the busy said?”

My brother-in-law frowned.

“Is that a conundrum?” he said.

“It’s a – question,” raged Len.

“Then it’s one I can’t answer,” said Berry. “The, er, species is new to me. Busy. Is it anything like the blow-fly?”

“Policeman,” howled Len. “Inspector. The one that was talking to you.”

“What, about the blackguards?” said Berry. “I thought we’d finished with that.”

“Well, we haven’t,” blared Len. “Go on.”

“I do wish you’d listen,” said Berry. “I’ve told you twice.” A hand went up to his brow. “It’s gone out of my head now. I shall have to go back.” As though to assist concentration, he closed his eyes. “The inspector asked what you looked like, and I asked him if he’d ever been to the Zoo.”

“You can cut that bit,” said Len, thickly.

Berry opened his eyes.

“There you are,” he said. “You’ve spoiled it. It was all coming back, and you’ve torn it. I had the whole scene before me – and now it’s gone.” He shrugged his shoulders. “You request me to try to recapture—”

“I asked wot he said,” – violently.

“And I’m trying to tell you,” said Berry. “Please don’t conceive that it’s any pleasure to me. The whole thing’s intensely odious. But though it means nothing to me, it appears to mean something to you. Out of pure courtesy, therefore – an instinct which in your case, as, indeed, in that of the warthog, appears to be lamentably undeveloped – I determined to accede to a request the inconvenience of which I am unable to estimate except in terms so bitter that I prefer to leave them to your stunted imagination. And now, for the last time, am I or am I not to endeavour to do as you wish?”

Len maintained a furious silence.

“Very well,” said Berry, “I will. But if you interrupt me again, you can ask till your eyes come out and all you’ll get will be small talk about cremation or what your father said when he saw you first.”

With that, he set his back to the wall and, once more closing his eyes, appeared to devote himself to recalling the past.

After an appropriate silence he opened his lips.

“The inspector asked me to describe you, and I said that only your death masks could ever do that – and that even then everybody would say they were faked. And then I asked him if he’d ever been to the Zoo. That’s right, and he said yes, he knew it quite well. And then I said, ‘Well, forget it. If the animals saw these two coming, they’d eat their young.’” Len’s face was working, and even Winnie produced an indignant stare. Berry proceeded relentlessly. “‘I’ve got them,’ said the inspector. ‘Outside Hell, there’s only one pair like that. Is the fat one dressed up like a nigger on Saturday night?’ ‘That’s right,’ said I, ‘and his ears are twice life-size, and the other’s nose has spread all over his face. He’s pale as cheese – that’s his heart: but the other – well, what about a couple of oysters afloat in a bucket of blood?’ ‘They’re the blackguards,’ said Colyer.” Despite himself, Len leaned forward. “Two of the lousiest blackguards that ever walked.”

Berry opened his eyes and looked round.

“That’s all,” he said comfortably.

The explosion which followed this statement will hardly go into words. More black than red in the face, Len let himself go. Spouting the most shocking imprecations, he denounced with hideous metaphor the whole of the human race, but more especially the police and my brother-in-law. The latter’s future he painted in blood and foam, scouring the dregs of abuse to gain his effect, but when Winnie made bold to support him in his attack, he turned and rent him with a fury which had to be heard to be believed.

When at last he had made an end—

“Not bad,” said Berry, coolly. “A shade too florid for me, but anyone could see what you meant. And what do we all do now? I can’t ask you into the house, because the carpets are clean.”

The apology was blasphemously received.

“Quite so,” said Berry, “quite so. Never mind. Sit down on that chair, won’t you? If the servants can’t get it off, it can always be burnt. You see, we’re at your disposal. I want you to remember this visit in case you should be prevented from coming again.”

With an effort Len mastered his voice. “You’ve got me wrong,” he said. “You’re not on my visiting-list. I’m here because I’m here – and that’s a good enough reason for dirt like you. And now I’ve seen what I came for, I guess I’ll go. Pass over the keys of that Rolls. She’ll do well enough to lift me to where I got out of my car.”

His announcement took me aback, as well it might.

The man was evil-disposed. He had observed us at supper and had at that time determined to commit against us some trespass by force of arms. This he had purposed to do on the open road. To prevent our escape, he had tampered with one of our tyres. When this precaution had failed, he had risked his life in an effort to overtake us and stop us by the side of the way. Failing in this, he had actually driven to White Ladies, and, taking advantage of the fact that I had gone a roundabout way, had ensconced himself in the stables before we arrived. And now, after all this trouble, he was proposing to leave…

He had, of course, no intention of stealing the Rolls. Such a theft would have been suicidal. He might as well have walked to the nearest jail.

If I felt more bewildered than ever, I may, I think, be excused.

(Here, perhaps, I should say that he must have obtained our address from the papers we kept in the Rolls. These, no doubt, he perused, whilst we were taking our ease on the riverside.)

My brother-in-law nodded.

“I see,” he said slowly. And then, “What’s wrong with your car?”

“Nothing,” said Len. “I guess you can swear to that.”

Berry raised his eyebrows.

“It’s a question of preference, is it? You like ours best.”

Len turned his attention to me.

“Hand over those — keys. You’ll find the car where I leave it – along the road.”

“Yes, that’s easy,” said Berry. “That’s easy. But how do we know? To be perfectly candid, that car is worth the best part of three thousand pounds, and I wouldn’t trust either of you with a basket of rotten eggs. Besides, you came here on foot.”

“An’ I’m driving back,” raved Len. “In the furniture van wot cost you three thousand pounds. And if that’s too tough to chew, I guess you can swallow it whole.”

“But how rude,” said Berry. “Never mind. You’d much better walk. If you’d walked more in the past, you’d look less misshapen today.”

Like some dreadful Bull of Basan, Len gaped upon me with his mouth. After a speechless moment—

“I’m waiting,” he said shakily.

I leaned against the door and folded my arms.

“Winnie,” said Len, “go through him and get those keys,” and, with that, he levelled his pistol, to keep me still.

“Don’t you, Winnie,” said Berry. “If you do, I shall make it exciting – and that will be bad for your heart.”

The unfortunate Winnie blenched.

“F-fetch him over to me,” he stammered. “I can’t do it there.”

“You do as I tell you,” howled Len, “you white-livered scum.”

I saw the sweat break upon Winnie’s repulsive brow.

“’Ow can I—”

“You can’t,” said Berry. “You’d be between me and the gun. And that would be terribly exciting.” A change came into his voice. “And another thing. From this time on you will take your orders from me.

“What’s that?”

Len spat the words rather than said them.

“You, too,” said Berry, coldly. “We’ve got you stuck, and you know it. As I told you five minutes ago, you dare not fire. If you did, you’d be laid by the heels within twenty-four hours. And you can’t afford that. They’re simply stamping to get you – on any charge. And ‘attempted murder’ would suit them down to the socks. In fact, you’ve only one card.” I saw Len blink. “And it’s Lombard Street to a lemon you’ve no idea what it is.”

There was an eloquent silence.

Berry continued quietly.

“Because it suits my book, I’m going to show you this card: but before I do so, I’m going to clear the air. ‘Clear’ it, I say. Not ‘clean’ it. I can’t do that. If they sank you two in a cesspool, they’d turn it sour.”

“See here—”

“Silence!” barked Berry. “I let you state your case a moment ago. I let you foul my ears with your filthy tongue, and I never said one word until you were out of breath. And now it’s my turn…

“I know who you are, you two: and I know your stinking trade. Ghouls feed upon the bodies of men: but at least they wait until the bodies are dead. But you feed upon the living – a very unpleasant thought. You meant to ply your poisonous trade tonight. You meant to levy blackmail…” Again I saw Len blink. “But now you’re here and you’ve seen the shape of this place, you know that you’re on a loser – and so you propose to withdraw.

“Well, that’s all right for you, but what about us? What about the nail in our tyre? What about being chased for five miles on the open road? And then you’ve the blasted nerve to enter our premises. And when we catch you out, you pull out a gun… And I am a magistrate. I’ve only to sign a warrant—”

“Wot for?”

“Have you ever heard the phrase ‘felonious intent’? Yes, I thought you had. It covers a lot of sins. Of course you could say that you only came here to chase moths. But I don’t think the jury’d believe you: and once your record was known…

“And now I’ll show you your card – the only card that you hold. I do not want to alarm the ladies who dwell in this house. You see, you two together are like a bad dream – a sort of hideous nightmare, which one does one’s best to forget. Well, they had that dream at supper, because you were there in the room: but they’ve no idea it pursued them, and they must have no idea that it is within a stone’s throw of where they are sitting now.

“Now they know that we left for the stables: unless we return very soon, I think they will come themselves to see if there’s anything wrong. And since that must not happen, my brother-in-law and I are now going back to the house. In ten minutes’ time, however, we shall make some excuse to return – to make sure you are gone. And I warn you that, when we come back, we shall carry a pistol apiece. What is more, knowing you to be armed, we shall take the obvious precaution of firing at sight. I, therefore, recommend you to make the most of this chance and go as you came.” He glanced at his wrist. “It is now six minutes to one. If we find you here, my friends, at five minutes past, the balloon will go up with a bang. It goes without saying that that would be bad for Winnie: but I give you my word that it won’t be too good for you.”

With that, he opened the door, ushered me into the yard, slammed the door behind him and took my arm.

In silence, we crossed the yard, whilst I was still asking myself what the truth of the matter might be.

Berry had played a truly magnificent game – that fact stood out as mountains against the dawn. What bothered me was that I did not know the rules of the game. I could not understand what was really afoot. From what Colyer had said, I assumed that the two were smugglers: Berry, however, had laid a charge of blackmail. But why were they there, in the coach house? Why…

“Poor old fellow,” said Berry. “You’ve had a hell of a time. You see, I knew where I was. And I knew what cards they were holding: and when you’re playing poker – well, that’s a deuce of a help.”

“But I don’t understand—”

“How should you? But for Jonah, I shouldn’t be wise myself. And now step out. I’ll talk as we go along.”

“Where to?”

“To where they’ve left the Lowland. The last act’s about to begin, and, if Jonah’s had any luck, it’s going to be pretty good.”

I put a hand to my head.

“You spoke of blackmail.”

“Hot air,” said Berry. “I wanted to ease their minds. I daresay they do a bit, but it’s not their trade.”

“Which is…?”

“Dope,” said Berry. “Distributing dope to addicts – and making a steady profit of four or five thousand per cent.”

“Good God,” said I. And then, “But why are they here?”

“D’you remember what Colyer said? ‘They’re the men we want, but they’d never travel the stuff.’ Well, Colyer was perfectly right. They were not travelling the stuff. We were travelling it for them. Whilst we were down by the river, they planted it in the Rolls.”

With his words, the parts of the puzzle fell into place, and I saw the interpretation of what had befallen that night.

Perdita’s intuition, the check at the level crossing, the chase to Maidenhair, the scene in the harness room – all that had happened slid suddenly into focus. Robbed of his whelps, Moloch had pursued us in person – to get his subsistence back. Berry was speaking again.

“By the Grace of God, our wily, if leprous, cousin was not abed. To be precise, he was still in the library: and before I’d been speaking one minute, he’d got it straight. ‘Dope-mongers,’ he said. ‘They knew that the net was spread, so they let you carry it through. And they’ll be here any minute, sure as a gun.’ He fell on the telephone and asked for the county police. The idea was to get hold of Colyer – headquarters could telephone through to the signal box. He’d hardly put the call through, when the Knave came streaking in and got hold of my coat. ‘They’re here,’ says Jonah. ‘Boy’s sent him. I’ll lay they’re out in the stables, holding him up.’ Then he told me to go and gain time. ‘Hold them in check for ten minutes – that’s all I want. I’ve got to have a word with the police and then I must find the Lowland and put her out. Oh, and ring for William, will you? As for the wallahs, play with them all you know. And when you’re through, walk out – they’ll be only too thankful to see the back of your necks. But mind you forget the word dope. I should try and believe they’re burglars – just for a quarter of an hour. And then come down to the gates: I’ll try and have William there, to pick you up.’ He’s damned efficient, Jonah. He can set a sum while he’s working another out. And as for making plans – why, he’s got his cut and dried before most people’s are sown.”

Here the Knave leaned out of the shadows, with William behind.

The man was agog with excitement.

“Two hundred yards to the left, sir. They’ve left her in Three Horse Lane.”

One minute later the four of us joined my cousin, who was lying behind a hedge perhaps twelve feet from the car.

When Berry had made his report—

“Splendid,” he said. “And Colyer is under way. I think we must wait till he comes, but I’ve done my best to ensure that we shan’t be dull. After all, their tails deserve twisting. The purveyor of dope is no saint. That good-looking car was purchased out of the money that men received for their souls.”

We were not dull.

In fact, for the next twenty minutes, our one concern was lest we should be unable to smother our mirth. To say that we laughed till we cried conveys nothing at all. No music-hall turn was ever one half so diverting as that which Len and Winnie provided that summer night.

They reached the lane, blown and breathless – Winnie bearing a suitcase and going extremely lame. It seemed that his boots were tight, for, whilst Len climbed into the Lowland, he sat himself down on the step and proceeded to take them off, condemning the shop that had sold them in shocking terms and finally hurling them into the back of the car.

As he did so, his fellow let fly…

When he stopped for breath—

“An’ wot’s biting you?” said Winnie, caressing a frightful foot.

“Wot’s going to bite you,” snarled the other. “The starter’s dead.”

“Dead?” cried Winnie. “It can’t be.”

“I tell you it is,” yelped Len. “I’ve damned near shoved me thumb through the instrument board. Get out the starting-handle – she’ll ’ave to be swung.”

“But I’ve got my boots off,” screamed Winnie. The concise directions Len issued concerning his fellow’s boots were quite unprintable, and, after a fearful scene, poor Winnie stood up to the tool-box, to search for the starting-handle he could not see. He was not, I think, accustomed to handling tools, for he plucked and dug and fumbled till Len was half out of his mind. At length, however, his fingers encountered the handle he sought, but, in dragging it out, he brought the jack with it and this fell on to his foot.

His screech of pain would have made a statue start, and I know I hung on to the Knave, lest he should forget his orders and give our presence away: but, on learning his cause of complaint, Len only expressed his pleasure at what had occurred and then demanded that he should employ the handle in the way it was meant to be used.

“Wot, swing her?” howled Winnie. “Me swing her? Why, I don’t know ’ow to stand up. My foot’s a – jelly. I shan’t be able to walk for—”

With a soul-shaking oath, the other bade him proceed…

Muttering hideously to himself, Winnie made his way round to the front of the car and, squatting down in the shadows, felt, I suppose, for the socket into which the handle should go.

After a while he stood up.

“There ain’t no hole,” he reported.

Len’s reply was to hurl himself out of the car.

“Look out for my feet,” snarled Winnie. “If you was to—”

“You bet,” spat Len, viciously.

Mistrustful of this assurance, Winnie started aside from the rendez-vous: but he fouled a wing in the dark and, striving to recover his balance, stepped on to a stone…

“That’s right,” hissed Len. “Wake up the blasted world.”

“I wish I could,” mourned Winnie. “I’m ripe for an ambulance.”

Len snapped its cap from the socket and thrust the starting-handle into the bowels of the car.

If the engine was heavy, at least it was more than warm, and after one or two efforts, he managed to swing the shaft. But my cousin had done his work well, and though we could hear her breathing, the engine refused to fire.

After two frantic minutes, Len wrung the sweat from his face and tore off his coat.

From his seat at the edge of the lane—

“You’ve overdrove her,” said Winnie. “That’s wot you’ve done. If you ’adn’t—”

The impeachment was furiously received.

“An’ see here,” concluded Len. “I don’t want no wise cracks from you. Wot do you know about cars? Shovin’ a pram on rails is about your mark. ‘Please teacher, there ain’t no hole.’ An’ you ’ave the lip to talk about over-drivin’…”

With that, he returned to his labour, turning the shaft like a madman until he could turn it no more.

He was, indeed, so much exhausted that two or three moments elapsed before he could talk: but when he had recovered his breath, he dealt with the situation in terms which I dare not set down.

“Perhaps it’s them Willies,” said Winnie.

“Wot d’you mean – them Willies?”

“Well, perhaps they’ve done it on us. Turned off the jooce, or something, indulgin’ their wicked spite.”

“Ow could they?” snarled Len. “They didn’t know where she was, an’ they ’aven’t ’ad time.”

For all that, he stepped to the bonnet and opened one side. He peered and poked about, grunting and dashing the sweat from his eyes, but, because he had no torch, he could not see what he was doing or trying to do: in fact, if the truth were known, I think his action was that of a desperate man, who hopes against hope that by touching some rod or connection he may correct the fault which he cannot find. Be that as it may, in his efforts to see behind something, he laid the side of his head against the exhaust, which was still, of course, nearly red-hot, for the night was warm. The bellow he gave might well have been heard a mile off, and Berry swears that he jumped straight up in the air. I can vouch for the fact that he stamped all over the road, yelling most shocking imprecations and condemning to dreadful dooms the men that had built the car, and that when his companion ventured to ask what the matter might be, he turned and ran upon him – I fear, with the wicked intention of treading upon his feet. Perceiving his horrid design, Winnie fled screaming before him, and the two went down Three Horse Lane, polluting the night with a clamour which might have been rising from Hell.

I think we had all expected that this was the end of the masque, but, when they returned, it was clear that they had agreed together to make a joint endeavour to start the car. Winnie climbed gingerly into the driver’s seat – no doubt to play with the throttle, while Len was turning the shaft.

Now the Lowland was equipped with twin post horns, fitted to the front of the car and ready to sound such a call as would waken the dead. As Len laid hold of the handle, the two let fly, making their master leap almost out of his skin and letting a blast of uproar that shook the night.

Len danced into the roadway, convulsed with rage.

“You clumsy wash-out,” he roared. “Who told you to—”

“I never done it,” wailed Winnie. “It give me no end of a start.”

“In course you done it,” blared Len. “Why can’t you keep your fists to yourself?”

“But I never touched nothing,” screamed Winnie. “It done it all on itself.”

I must confess that I thought he was in the wrong and had happened to touch the switch without knowing what he did. His character, however, was almost instantly cleared, for, without any further warning, the horns began to blow – with a steady, constant fury which showed that some short circuit was doing its worst.

My cousin later denied that this was his work, so that I can only suppose that Fortune herself had decided to take a hand. She could hardly have played the two rogues a more disconcerting trick. Not only was the racket distracting, but its awful persistence gave it the air of a tocsin, advising all within range to arise and repair to its station with all convenient speed. That the two were alive to this danger was very plain, for, though, of course, we could not hear one word that was said, their frenzy declared itself in the action they took. Instead of cutting the wires, they sought, like madmen, to silence the horns themselves, wrenching and slamming the metal with that unprofitable fury which only despair can provoke. Each of them dealt with one horn, but the twins were close together, and the violence displayed was so reckless that sooner or later someone was bound to be hurt. Of this contingency Winnie was plainly aware, and when Len, in his agony, clung like some ape to a head-lamp and sought to kick his trumpet into collapse, I think we all felt that Winnie was badly placed. Indeed, our fears were realized almost at once, for Winnie ‘stopped one’ with his elbow which would have disabled a horse. As a matter of fact, it broke the camel’s back. For a moment the subordinate writhed: then he stepped back behind Len and swung to the jaw… His victim fell over the wing and into the road.

Electricity knows no law. For me, the jar of Len’s fall just happened to break the short circuit which had been made. Be that as it may, in that moment the noise stopped dead – and we all of us heard, close at hand, the drone of another car.

As Len sat up, the police turned into the lane.

Seated on the lawn the next morning, my sister surveyed her husband with high contempt.

“Three o’clock,” she declared. “That was the time you came up. Past three, really, because my wristwatch is slow. You ought to be ashamed of yourself.”

“I am,” said Berry, sinking into a chair. “I am covered with confusion.”

“You don’t look it.”

“I am though,” said Berry, selecting a cigarette. “Simply smothered with it. I don’t know how to hold up my head.”

There was an indignant silence.

Then—

“It’s really indecent,” said Daphne.

“Obscene,” said Berry, “obscene. Has anyone got a match?”

“Breakfast at a quarter to twelve! You can’t expect any servants to—”

“Well, that’s your fault,” said Berry. “If you’d let me lie, I should have arisen refreshed about half past nine.”

“I only woke you to say that the barber was there. You always have him on Fridays. You haven’t apologized yet for what you said.”

“What did I say?” said Berry.

“You said he could put his scissors where Winnie kept her boots.” Jonah and I began to shake with laughter. “Yes, I thought it was something vulgar. Of course there was nothing to do but to tell them to send him away.”

“That’s what I meant,” said Berry. “But you didn’t let me lie even then.”

“Yes, I did,” said Daphne. “I only got up.”

“Only,” said Berry. “Your idea of rising is to put it across the world. You seem to glory in uproar. That gurgling noise you make—”

“What gurgling noise?”

“Like a bath running out against time. I can’t think how you do it.”

“Well, it is the bath running out.”

“No, it’s worse than that,” said Berry. “Never mind. Let’s try and forget it. If you gave your mind to it, I expect you could think of some failing that I’ve got. Just look at that sky. You know, it reminds me of heaven.”

The silence which succeeded his words was big with frightfulness.

My sister, however, decided to fight upon ground she knew.

“And I hear you had William up…at one o’clock in the morning…to bring some more ice.”

Berry put a hand to his head.

“I don’t think he minded,” he said. “And he did very well.”

“What d’you mean – did very well?”

“Well, he brought up the ice very well,” said Berry, hastily. “Beautifully cold it was.” He threw a frantic look round. “And I do wish you’d live and let live. I’m not at my best this morning.”

“Whose fault is that?”

Looking ready to burst—

“Mine,” said Berry, wildly. “For sitting up, carousing, when I ought to have been in bed.”

“Well, you know it’s true” – reproachfully.

There was another silence, which I very nearly disgraced.

Perdita lifted her voice.

“Talking of uproar, what was that funny noise? It woke me up – I think about half past one.”

“It was Daphne snoring,” said Berry. “It almost always means her stomach’s upset.”

“You wicked liar,” said his wife.

Perdita turned to Jonah.

“Didn’t you hear it?” she said.

My cousin wrinkled his brow.

“Now you mention it, I have an idea I did. A sort of high-pitched horn.”

“That went on and on. That’s right. What d’you think it was?”

Jonah shrugged his shoulders.

“Somebody being funny, as like as not.”

Jill looked up from her business of brushing the Knave.

“He keeps on yawning,” she said. “What time did you put him to bed?”

“I don’t know exactly,” I said. “When I went myself.”

“Poor dog,” said Jill. “D’you mean he was up till three?”

“Don’t be silly,” said I. “He enjoyed it.”

“What?” said Jill, staring.

“Well, being with us,” said I. “You – you know he likes company.”

“It was very unkind” – severely. “You’re a man and can please yourself. But how would you like to be kept from going to bed?”

Unwilling to trust my voice, I rose to my feet and sauntered into the house…

Five minutes later, perhaps, two beautiful hands came to rest on the back of my chair.

I laid back my head and looked up – to meet two eyes that made me forget the hands.

Perdita spoke very low.

“A prophet is not without honour, save in his own country.”

“Thank you,” I said.

“Entirely between you and me, did you put them where they belonged?”

“Berry and Jonah did. I only looked on.”

The hands moved on to my shoulders.

“You’d done your bit. You saved Jill and me from the very unpleasant experience of being waylaid by beasts. We should not have forgotten it – ever. And whenever we remembered, the light would have left our eyes.”

“You put it too high,” said I.

“I don’t think so. Never mind.” The hands, which were very cool, came to rest on my lids. “But I saw Jill thank you last night, and – and I wouldn’t like you to think that I wasn’t grateful, too.”