be sorry when Hyde packs his movin'
tent a day's march nearer Jerusalem." And with a casual wink at
Val he stepped over the threshold. His judgment, so vague and
shrewd and sure of itself, represented probably the kindest view
that would be taken in Chilmark.

Their entrance broke up the gathering. Jack carried off his
wife, and Barry appeared to wheel Bernard away to bed. With a
word to Laura, Val followed the cripple to his room. The Duke
was pressing for an answer, and long experience had taught Val
that for Bernard one time was as good as another: it was not
possible to count on his moods. And there was not much to be
said; all pros and cons had been thrashed out before; the five
minutes while Barry was out of the room fetching Bernard's
indispensable hot-water bottles would give Val ample time to
secure Bernard's consent.--Laura had scarcely finished putting
away her music when Val came back, humming under his breath the
jangled tune that echoes night in the streets of Granada. Laura
glanced at Lawrence, who had gone into the garden to smoke and
was passing and repassing the open window: no, he could not hear.
"Well, Val?"

"Let me do that for you, shall I?" said Val, lightly smiling, at
her. "Your ottoman has a heavy lid."

"Have you spoken to Bernard?"

"I have."

"And it's all right?"

"Yes" said Val, deftly flinging diamond-wise a glittering Chinese
cloth: "is that straight?--that is, for me. I shan't take the
agency."

"Val!"

"Bernard agrees with me that the double work would be too heavy.
Of course I should like the money and I'm awfully sorry to
disoblige Lord Grantchester and Jack, but one has one's
limitations, and I don't want to knock up."

"It is too bad--too bad of Bernard,". said Laura, lowering her
voice as Lawrence lingered near the window. "He doesn't half
deserve your goodness to him."

"Bosh!" said Val laughing. "Where do these candlesticks go? In
my heart of hearts I'm grateful to him. I'm a cowardly beggar,
Laura, and I was dreading the big financial responsibility. Oh
no, Bernard didn't put any pressure on me: simply offered me the
choice between Etchingham and Wanhope."

"They would pay you twice what you get from Bernard. Oh, Val, I
wish you would take it and throw us over!"

"That's very unkind of you."

"Is this definite?"

"Quite: Bernard had thought it well over and made up his mind. I
shouldn't speak to him about it if I were you."

"I shan't. I