t come easy to Elmer, he
says, and I believe him. Elmer's time is largely taken up by inward
moral debate as to the right or wrong of particular hypothetical cases
which his imagination insists on presenting to his conscience."

"I can certainly imagine no state of mind less enjoyable," said
Cleggett.

"Nor I," replied Lady Agatha. "But to resume: The very fact that I
had employed a guard seemed to put Reginald Maltravers beside himself.
He followed me more closely than ever. Regardless of appearances, he
would suddenly plant himself in front of me in restaurants and
tramcars, in the streets or parks when I went for an airing, even in
the lifts and corridors of the apartment hotel where I stopped, and
stare at me intently through his monocle, caressing his mustache the
while. I did not dare make a scene; the thing was causing enough
remark without that; I was, in fact, losing my reputation.

"Finally, goaded beyond endurance, I called Elmer into my apartment one
day and put the whole case before him.

"'I will pay almost any price short of participation in actual crime,'
I told him, 'for a fortnight of freedom from that man's presence. I
can stand it no longer; I feel my reason slipping from me. Have I not
heard that there are in New York creatures who are willing, on the
payment of a certain stipulated sum, to guarantee to chastise a person
so as to disable him for a definite period, without doing him permanent
injury? You must know some such disreputable characters. Procure me
some wretches of this sort!'

"Elmer replied that such creatures do, indeed, exist. He called
them--what did he call them?"

"Gunmen?" suggested Cleggett.

"Yes, thank you. He brought two of them to me whom he introduced
as----"

She paused. "The names escape me," she said. She called: "Elmer, just
step here a moment, please."

Elmer, who was still putting ice into the oblong box, moodily laid away
his tools and approached.

"What WERE the odd names of your friends? The ones who--who made the
mistake?" asked Lady Agatha, resuming her seat.

Elmer rolled a bilious eye at Cleggett and asked Lady Agatha, out of
that corner of his mouth nearer to her:

"Is th' guy right?"

"Mr. Cleggett is a friend of mine and can keep a secret, if that is
what you mean," said Lady Agatha. And the words sent a thrill of
elation through Cleggett's being.

"M' friends w'at makes the mistake," said Elmer, apparently satisfied
with the as