ply in sympathy with the objects of your, may
I say our, society, that if I possessed L300,000 you should have it
to-morrow; but, owing to, recent legislation affecting Irish land, the
ever-increasing burden of income tax and the death duties----"

"Don't start rambling again," said Lalage. "It isn't in the least funny,
and we're both beginning to get sleepy. Nobody wants L300,000."

"It takes that," I said, "to run a newspaper."

"What we want," said Lalage, "is thirty pounds, guaranteed--ten pounds a
month for three months. All you have to do is to sign a paper----"

"Did Selby-Harrison draw up the paper?"

"Yes. And Hilda has it upstairs in her trunk."

"That's enough," I said. "Anything Selby-Harrison has drawn up I'll
sign. Perhaps, Hilda, you'll be good enough--I wouldn't trouble you if I
knew where to find it myself."

"Get it, Hilda," said Lalage.

Hilda struggled out of her beehive and immediately stumbled into a bed
of stocks. It had become very dark while we talked, but I think the
scent of the flowers might have warned her of her danger. I picked her
up carefully and set her on the path.

"Perhaps," I said, "you won't mind taking off your shoes as you cross
the hall outside the drawing-room. Mr. and Mrs. Dodds must have found
out about Miss Battersby's bridge by this time."

I think Hilda winked. I did not actually see her wink. It was too dark
to see anything; but there was a feeling in the air as if somebody
winked and Lalage had nothing to wink about.

"If," I added, "they rush out and catch you, they will certainly ask
you where I am. You must be prepared for that. Would you very much mind
exaggerating a little, just for once?"

This time Hilda giggled audibly.

"You might say that Lalage and I had gone for a long walk and that you
do not know when we will be back."

"That wouldn't be true," said Lalage, "so of course it can't be said."

"We can easily make it true," I said. "I don't want to go for a walk
at this time of night and I'm sure you don't, after the exhausting day
you've had--but rather than put Hilda in an awkward position and set her
conscience gnawing at her during the night we might start at once, not
telling Hilda when we'll be back."

"All right," said Lalage. "Pussy will fuss afterward of course. But----"

"I entirely forgot Miss Battersby," I said. "She would fuss to a
certainty. She might write to the Archdeacon. After all, Hilda, you'll
have to chance it with your