er, if bread and cheese and cider would do us those we could have.
She had taken a tray with those on already to the gentleman who had
driven up in a small car, if we wouldn't mind having it in the little
coffee-room with him.

Thankfully enough I preceded Mr. Jessop into the coffee-room. It was
long, and low-ceilinged, and dark from the screen of tangled ivy and
honeysuckle and jasmine that grew up about the low window. Inside was a
framed picture of Queen Victoria as a blonde girl in a dressing-gown
receiving the news of her accession to the English throne. Another
picture showed her in Jubilee robes. There were also cases of stuffed
birds and squirrels, padded chairs with woollen antimacassars. At the
further table there loomed against the light the broad back of a man
eating bread and cheese and reading a newspaper. From the look of him,
he was the owner of that sumptuous car.

My American friend exclaimed in delight.

"Well, now, if any one had told me there still existed anything so real
old-fashioned and quaint right close up to the most sophisticated old
town in Europe I would never have believed them!" he ejaculated. "It
takes Old England to supply anything in the nature of a setting for
romance. Doesn't this look the exact parlour where the runaway couple
would be fixing things up with the relenting pa on the way back from
Gretna Green, Miss Smith?"

I laughed as I said: "It is rather a long way from here to Gret----"

Here there was a sudden noise of a man springing quickly to his feet.

The guest, who had been sitting there over his bread and cheese and
cider, swung swiftly round.

"By the powers, but this is a delightful surprise!" he exclaimed.

I stared up at him with eyes now grown accustomed to the dimness of the
inn parlour. I beheld, handsomer and more debonnaire than ever, no less
a person than the Honourable Jim Burke!

As I shook hands I wondered swiftly from whom this blue-eyed pirate had
borrowed the brand-new, spick-and-span little car that stood outside
there with her nose and the mascot that was its ornament turned towards
London.

I saw young Mr. Jessop staring with all his shrewd yet boyish eyes. I
wondered what on earth he thought of my very conspicuous-looking friend;
no, I can't call him "friend" exactly, my conspicuous-looking
acquaintance to whom I hurriedly introduced him?

"Very happy to meet you," said the American, bowing. Mr. Burke, with the
most extraordinary flavour