berately lost her temper. But I admit she
hits about in a very nasty fashion."

"And favours the dog."

"She does."

"I want to know all you admit."

"You shall. And incidentally my friend and I may have the pleasure of
showing you Salisbury and Avebury. If you are free?"

"We're travelling together, just we two. We are wandering about the
south of England on our way to Falmouth. Where I join a father in a few
days' time, and I go on with him to Paris. And if you and your friend
are coming to the Old George--"

"We are," said Sir Richmond.

"I see no great scandal in talking right on to bedtime. And seeing
Avebury to-morrow. Why not? Perhaps if we did as the Germans do and gave
our names now, it might mitigate something of the extreme informality of
our behaviour."

"My name is Hardy. I've been a munition manufacturer. I was slightly
wounded by a stray shell near Arras while I was inspecting some plant I
had set up, and also I was hit by a stray knighthood. So my name is
now Sir Richmond Hardy. My friend is a very distinguished Harley Street
physician. Chiefly nervous and mental cases. His name is Dr. Martineau.
He is quite as civilized as I am. He is also a philosophical writer. He
is really a very wise and learned man indeed. He is full of ideas. He's
stimulated me tremendously. You must talk to him."

Sir Richmond glanced over his shoulder at the subject of these
commendations. Through the oval window glared an expression of malignity
that made no impression whatever on his preoccupied mind.

"My name," said the young lady, "is Grammont. The war whirled me over
to Europe on Red Cross work and since the peace I've been settling up
things and travelling about Europe. My father is rather a big business
man in New York."

"The oil Grammont?"

"He is rather deep in oil, I believe. He is coming over to Europe
because he does not like the way your people are behaving in
Mesopotamia. He is on his way to Paris now. Paris it seems is where
everything is to be settled against you. Belinda is a sort of companion
I have acquired for the purposes of independent travel. She was Red
Cross too. I must have somebody and I cannot bear a maid. Her name is
Belinda Seyffert. From Philadelphia originally. You have that? Seyffert,
Grammont?"

"And Hardy?"

"Sir Richmond and Dr. Martineau."

"And--Ah!--That great green bank there just coming into sight must be Old
Sarum. The little ancient city that faded away when Salis