rubbed 'er nose agin' 'im, and says just as
plain as Scripter that she was real sorry, and 'oped 'e 'd forget it as
one gen'l'man to a lady.'

With sundry anecdotes of a like nature, Mathews guided the visitor past
the long line of stalls, whose inhabitants kept their stately heads
turned to gratify the insatiable curiosity of the equine. To the weary
mind of the American there was an agreeable balm in the groom's fund of
anecdote, and even in the odoriferousness of the stable itself.

Reaching the end of that line, Mathews proposed that before they went any
farther they should go to an adjoining shed and inspect a litter of
little hounds that were blinking in amazement at their second day's view
of the world. From a near-by kennel there was the discordant yelping of
a dozen hounds, and between the two places a kitten was performing its
toilet with arrogant indifference to the canine threat.

They were just about to retrace their steps, when Selwyn felt Mathews's
hand on his arm.

'Sh-sh!' the groom whispered. 'There's Mister Malcolm a-come to say
good-bye to Nellie. I knew 'e would, sir. She'd ha' fretted 'er heart
out if 'e hadn't.'

IV.

Selwyn looked down the stable, and in the dull light he saw the Hussar
officer standing in the stall by the mare, crooning some endearing words,
while the beast, in her delight, rubbed her face against his clothes and
whinnied her plea to be taken for a gallop over the fields.

Not wanting to disturb him, or give the impression that he had been
watching, Selwyn softly withdrew by a door near the dogs, and after
giving Mathews a half-sovereign, made a circuit of the lawns and
approached the house as if he were coming from the woods. As he did so
young Durwent emerged from the stables, followed by a collie-dog that
jumped and frolicked about him as he walked. Noticing the American,
Malcolm crossed over to where he stood, proffering a cigarette.

'Have a gasper, Selwyn?' he asked.

'Thanks very much. I suppose it will be some time before the British
Army will get into action?'

'I don't know, I'm sure,' answered Durwent, holding a match for the
other, 'but three weeks at the outside ought to see us over there and
ready.'

'The Germans have a tremendous start.'

'Yes, haven't they? Damned plucky of Belgium to try to hold them up,
isn't it? Though, of course, you can't expect the Belgian johnnies to
keep them back more than a few days.'

'You think, then, tha