he best motives, of course!"

"Of course, sir!"

"And she's found out! I don't know how she's found out, but she has! So
there you are!"

"Of what nature would the trick be, sir? A species of ruse, sir,--some
kind of innocent deception?"

"Well, it was like this."

It was a complicated story to tell, and Sam, a prey to conflicting
emotions, told it badly; but such was the almost superhuman intelligence
of Webster, that he succeeded in grasping the salient points. Indeed, he
said that it reminded him of something of much the same kind in the
Nosegay Novelette, "All for Her," where the hero, anxious to win the
esteem of the lady of his heart, had bribed a tramp to simulate an
attack upon her in a lonely road.

"The principle's the same," said Webster.

"Well, what did he do when she found out?"

"She did not find out, sir. All ended happily, and never had the
wedding-bells in the old village church rung out a blither peal than
they did at the subsequent union."

Sam was thoughtful.

"Bribed a tramp to attack her, did he?"

"Yes, sir. She had never thought much of him till that moment, sir. Very
cold and haughty she had been, his social status being considerably
inferior to her own. But, when she cried for help, and he dashed out
from behind a hedge, well, it made all the difference."

"I wonder where I could get a good tramp," said Sam, meditatively.

Webster shook his head.

"I really would hardly recommend such a procedure, sir."

"No, it would be difficult to make a tramp understand what you wanted."

Sam brightened.

"I've got it! _You_ pretend to attack her, and I'll...."

"I couldn't, sir! I couldn't, really! I should jeopardise my situation."

"Oh, come. Be a man!"

"No, sir, I fear not. There's a difference between handing in your
resignation--I was compelled to do that only recently, owing to a few
words I had with the guv'nor, though subsequently prevailed upon to
withdraw it--I say there's a difference between handing in your
resignation and being given the sack, and that's what would
happen--without a character, what's more, and lucky if it didn't mean a
prison cell! No, sir, I could not contemplate such a thing."

"Then I don't see that there's anything to be done," said Sam,
morosely.

"Oh, I shouldn't say that, sir," said Webster encouragingly. "It's
simply a matter of finding the way. The problem confronting us--you, I
should say...."

"Us," said Sam. "Most decidedly us."