which had arisen for
"Mr. 'Olly." "Comin', comin'!" he cried, making for what I took to be
the drawing room.

I slipped his card into my pocket and we passed on.

The tallboy chest was standing alone in its dignity at the top of the
broad staircase.

The moment I saw it I knew it was good stuff. And Jill gave a little cry
and began to chatter, till I laid my hand on her arm with a warning
pressure.

"Hush," I said quickly, "don't give it away. Of course they all know
it's good, but we needn't seem over-anxious. Try and look as if you
thought it might do for the harness-room if it was enamelled."

"O-o-oh, Boy."

Such chests may be handsome and--rarely--elegant, but this was dainty.
Standing upon short cabriole legs, it was small, but of exquisite
proportions, and had been built, I judged, in the reign of Queen Anne.
The walnut which had gone to its making was picked wood, and its drawers
were faced with oyster-shell and inlaid with box. Their handles were
perfect, and, indeed, the whole chest was untouched and without blemish,
shining with that clean lustre which only wax and constant elbow-grease
can bring about.

When I had examined the piece as carefully as I dared, I winked at Jill
and descended into the hall.

Mr. Holly was awaiting us.

Casually I addressed him.

"There's a tallboy at the top of the stairs, labelled 207. I'm not crazy
about it, but it's about the right size for a recess in my bedroom. If
you like to buy that for me on a five per cent. basis----"

"Certainly, Major." He wrote in a fat notebook. "Lot 207. An' ow' 'igh
will you go?"

I hesitated.

"I'll go up to a hundred pounds. But the cheaper you get it, the better
for you. Understand?"

"I'm there, Major. Will you be coming back?"

"No. But there's my card. You can telegraph to that address this
evening, and I'll send you a cheque."

"Very good, sir."

A minute later we were walking along the road towards Highlands and,
while Jill was talking excitedly, I was considering my own recklessness.

As we entered the grounds--

"Don't say anything about it," I said. "Let it be a surprise."

* * * * *

The first person I saw, as I entered the lounge of that hotel, was
Berry.

"Do you mind not asking me why I'm here?" he said languidly. "I've just
finished telling Jonah, and repetition always wearied me."

"Your movements have never interested me," said I. "All the same, I
thought you were in