ap and
remained standing there silent and downcast.

"A glorious morning, Fawkes," said Paul, cheerily.

"Yes, sir," agreed Fawkes, his breath bated.

"I want to tell you," continued Paul, "whilst I remember, that Mrs.
Duveen's daughter, Flamby, is to be allowed to come and go as she likes
anywhere about the place. She does no harm, Fawkes; she is a student of
wild life and should be encouraged."

Fawkes' face assumed an expression of complete bewilderment. "Yes, sir,"
he said, his reedy voice unsteady; "as you wish, sir. But I don't know
about not doing no harm. She spoils all the shootin', alarms the birds
and throws things at the beaters, she does; and this year she stopped
the hounds, she did."

"Stopped the hounds, Fawkes?"

"Yes, sir. The fox he ran to cover down Babylon Lane, and right into
Dovelands Cottage. The hounds come through the hedge hard after him,
they did, and all the pack jumped the gate and streamed into the garden.
Colonel Wycherley and Lady James and old John Darbey, the huntsman, they
was close on the pack, and they all three took the gate above Coates'
Farm and come up in a bunch, you might say."

Fawkes paused, glanced guiltily at Paul's face, and, reassured, lowered
his head again and raced through the remainder of his story
breathlessly.

"Flamby, she was peelin' potatoes in the porch, and she jumps up and
runs down to the gate all on fire. The hounds was bayin' all round her
as fierce as tigers, and she took no more notice of 'em than if they'd
been flies. She see old John first, and she calls to him to get the pack
out of the garden, in a way it isn't for me to say...."

"On the contrary, Fawkes, I take an interest in Flamby Duveen, and I
wish to hear exactly what she said."

"Well, sir, if you please, sir, she hollers: 'Call your blasted dogs out
of my garden, John Darbey!'

"'The fox is a-hiding somewhere here,' says John.

"'To hell with the fox and you, too!' shouts Flamby, and pickin' up a
big stick that's lyin' on the ground, she slips into them dogs like a
mad thing. I'm told everybody was sure they'd attack her; but would you
believe it, sir, she chased 'em out like a flock of sheep. She don't hit
like a girl, Flamby don't; she means it."

"She loves animals, Fawkes, and knows them; therefore she has great
influence over them. I don't suppose one of them was hurt."

"Anyway, sir, she got 'em all out in the lane and stood lookin' over the
gate. John Darbey he was sp