e, ear-marked
for a more worthy sphere. My translation may occur any moment. I should
like Lewis to have some trifle in memory of me. A personal effect, I
mean. I've got a gun-metal sovereign-case somewhere. But anything useful
will do."

* * * * *

We made a point of being in upon the following afternoon. It was not
often that we all sat down to lunch together, but the satisfaction of
witnessing the delivery of three precious tons of coal in the teeth of
the authorities was more than we could forego. The butler was admitted
to our confidence, and instructed to stifle any attempt to allay
curiosity, by interpretation of the carman, that might originate in the
servants' hall, and immediately after luncheon, which finished at three
minutes to two, an O.P. was established by the side of one of the
dining-room windows, in which Jill was posted with orders to advise us
directly the convoy appeared.

In the library we spent a restless time. Berry, usually somnolent at
this hour, sat upon the club kerb and toyed with _The Times_. Jonah
fidgeted with a refractory pipe. Daphne glanced from the clock to her
novel and the novel to the clock at intervals of fifteen seconds, and I
wrote four letters to the War Office about my gratuity, and very
properly destroyed them as incoherent one after another.

At a quarter past two, by common consent, I visited Jill to see if she
was asleep.... When I made my report we reminded one another that Mr.
Lewis had said between two and three, and agreed that it was early as
yet.

At half-past two Daphne left the room and did not return.

At twenty minutes to three I made no attempt to disguise my uneasiness,
and joined my cousin and sister in the dining-room.

Ten minutes later Jonah and Berry came in.

After a hurried consultation it was decided that, if the coal had not
arrived in ten minutes' time, Berry should telephone to Mr. Lewis
forthwith. Almost immediately it was found that nobody knew the man's
number, initials, or address, and reference to the Directory showed that
there were four columns of subscribers all bearing his name.

At five minutes past three the strain was telling, and every one's
temper began more or less to show signs of wear and tear.

"Are you sure," said Daphne for the fourth time, "that it was to come
between two and three?"

"No," said her husband. "That's why I've been waiting."

"Fool," said his wife.

Berry sighed.