shirts, collars, ties, shaving things
and hair-brushes, even a pair of patent shoes. 'Sir Walter thought as
how Mr Reggie's things would fit you, Sir,' said the butler. 'He keeps
some clothes 'ere, for he comes regular on the week-ends. There's a
bathroom next door, and I've prepared a 'ot bath. Dinner in 'alf an
hour, Sir. You'll 'ear the gong.'

The grave being withdrew, and I sat down in a chintz-covered easy-chair
and gaped. It was like a pantomime, to come suddenly out of beggardom
into this orderly comfort. Obviously Sir Walter believed in me, though
why he did I could not guess. I looked at myself in the mirror and saw
a wild, haggard brown fellow, with a fortnight's ragged beard, and dust
in ears and eyes, collarless, vulgarly shirted, with shapeless old
tweed clothes and boots that had not been cleaned for the better part
of a month. I made a fine tramp and a fair drover; and here I was
ushered by a prim butler into this temple of gracious ease. And the
best of it was that they did not even know my name.

I resolved not to puzzle my head but to take the gifts the gods had
provided. I shaved and bathed luxuriously, and got into the dress
clothes and clean crackling shirt, which fitted me not so badly. By
the time I had finished the looking-glass showed a not unpersonable
young man.

Sir Walter awaited me in a dusky dining-room where a little round table
was lit with silver candles. The sight of him--so respectable and
established and secure, the embodiment of law and government and all
the conventions--took me aback and made me feel an interloper. He
couldn't know the truth about me, or he wouldn't treat me like this. I
simply could not accept his hospitality on false pretences.

'I'm more obliged to you than I can say, but I'm bound to make things
clear,' I said. 'I'm an innocent man, but I'm wanted by the police.
I've got to tell you this, and I won't be surprised if you kick me out.'

He smiled. 'That's all right. Don't let that interfere with your
appetite. We can talk about these things after dinner.' I never ate a
meal with greater relish, for I had had nothing all day but railway
sandwiches. Sir Walter did me proud, for we drank a good champagne and
had some uncommon fine port afterwards. It made me almost hysterical
to be sitting there, waited on by a footman and a sleek butler, and
remember that I had been living for three weeks like a brigand, with
every man's hand against me