r absence--please send this telegram off before breakfast;
that is, before _your_ breakfast."

Evangeline curtseyed and withdrew. I had spent my leisure moments during
the week teaching her the trick, as a surprise for Suzanne on her return.

Next morning, as I lay in bed thinking out the subject of my next Message
to the Nation, I was gratified to notice that the rain had ceased and the
sun was shining genially. I thought of Suzanne and the refreshing fruit in
Suzanne's relatives' attractive gardens. Should I go after all? I rang the
bell.

"Has that wire gone yet?" I asked.

"Indeed I took it these two hours back," replied Evangeline.

I looked at my watch and grunted.

"Bring me a telegram-form," I commanded, "and some hotter hot water."

So, having wired to Suzanne: "Malaria false alarm only passing effects of
overwork coming by the one-thirty PERCIVAL," I found myself at tea-time
being nursed back to health on mulberries-and-cream administered by the
solicitous hands of Aunt-by-acquisition Lucy.

"Well," I said to Suzanne a little later as we strolled in the direction of
the fig-trees, "how did it go off--my first wire, I mean?"

"Oh, I think I did it very well," she replied; "I gave a most realistic
exhibition of wifely concern, and the car had just come to take me to the
station when your second wire arrived."

"Then they didn't spot anything?"

"No," said Suzanne--"no, I don't think so."

After dinner that night I was playing billiards with Toby, who is Suzanne's
aunt's nephew-by-marriage. We had the room to ourselves.

"Dull part of the world this," he remarked. "By the way, what about that
malaria of yours?"

"What about it?" I observed shortly.

"Comes and goes rather suddenly, doesn't it?"

"Very," I agreed. "It's one of the suddenest diseases ever invented."

"'Invented' is a good word," said Toby. "You're a bit of an inventor,
aren't you?"

"What do you mean? Are you venturing to imply--"

"I imply nothing. I merely state that this morning Suzanne came down to
breakfast in her travelling-clothes. And that wasn't all."

"Wasn't it?" I inquired weakly. "Tell me the worst."

"All through breakfast," continued Toby with relish, "she was restless and
off her feed, and appeared to be listening for something. Afterwards
nothing could induce her to leave the house, and I myself caught her
surreptitiously studying the time-table. Every time a step was heard coming
up the drive she started t