on Fielding's--answers not wholly to encourage, but rather to
promote a state of doubt, so much more interesting to the spectator.

When after the five minutes had elapsed they entered the house, they
found that Mrs. Willoughby had arrived.

Clarice introduced Stephen Drake to Mrs. Willoughby. He saw a woman
apparently in the early twenties, tall, with a broad white forehead,
under masses of unruly black hair, and black eyebrows shadowing eyes of
the colour of sea-shallows on an August morning. The eyes were hard, he
noticed, and the lips pressed together; she bowed to him without a word.
Hostility was evidently to be expected, and Drake wondered at this, for
he knew Mrs. Willoughby to be Clarice's chief friend and confidante. Mrs.
Willoughby fired the first shot of the combat as soon as they had sat
down to lunch. She spoke of unscrupulous cruelty shown by African
explorers, and appealed to Drake for correction, she said, but her tone
implied corroboration.

'I have known cases,' he admitted, 'here and there. You can't always
prevent it. The pioneer in a new country doesn't bring testimonials with
him invariably. In fact, one case of the kind happened under my own eyes,
I might almost say.'

Mrs. Willoughby seemed put out of countenance by Drake's reply. She had
plainly expected a strenuous denial of her statement. Drake caught a
look of reproof which Mr. Le Mesurier directed towards her, and set it
down to his host's courtesy towards his guest. Clarice, however, noticed
the look too.

'Indeed,' she said. 'Tell us about it, Mr. Drake. It will be a change
from our usual frock-coat conversation.'

Mr. Le Mesurier imposed the interdict of paternal authority.

'I think, my dear, stories of that class are, as a rule, a trifle crude.
Eh, Drake?'

Miss Le Mesurier on the instant became personified submission.

'Of course, papa,' she said, 'if you have reason for believing the story
isn't suitable, I wouldn't think of asking Mr. Drake to tell it.'

Mr. Le Mesurier raised his hands in a gesture of despair, and looked
again at Mrs. Willoughby. His glance said, unmistakably, 'Now see what
you've done!' Fielding broke into an open laugh; and Clarice haughtily
asked him to explain the joke, so that the others present might share in
his amusement.

'I will,' said Fielding. 'In fact, I meant you to ask me to. I laughed,
because I notice that whenever you are particularly obedient to Papa,
then you are particularly resol