the grip of Torment."

"I was and shall be. For the nonce----" He turned to a tall dark girl
who was leaning against the chimney-piece, watching us curiously. "Let
me introduce my brother-in-law. Carefully kept from me before marriage
and by me ever since. Both the ablative case, I believe, but what a
difference? So rich is the English tongue."

The girl threw back her head and laughed. I observed that she had nice
teeth.

"Name of Childe," she said in a sweet voice. "After all, we can't expect
him to remember everything. Wasn't my brother in your regiment?"

"I knew I'd seen you somewhere," said I. "The last time you were on a
towel, leaning against a bottle of hairwash. That was in Flanders in
1916."

"That," said Berry, "will do. Miss Childe and I came here to lunch, not
to listen to maudlin memories of the Great War. Did I ever tell you that
a Spaniard once compared me to that elusive bloom to be found only upon
the ungathered apricot?"

"How much did you lend him?" said I.

"Perhaps he knew more about ferns," said Miss Childe.

"Blind from birth, I suppose," said Jonah's voice.

My brother-in-law rose to his feet and looked about him with the
expression of one who has detected an offensive odour.

"He was a man of singular insight and fine feeling," he said. "At the
time of his outburst I was giving evidence against him for cruelty to a
bullock. And now, for goodness' sake, somebody collect Jill and let's
have some lunch."

* * * * *

"As a matter of fact," said Miss Childe, "I've come down to get some
butter and eggs. They're usually sent, but the housekeeper's ill, and,
as I was going spare, father suggested I should run down and pick them
up."

Her voice sounded as if she was speaking from afar, and I knew that I
must call up all my reserves of willpower if I was to remain awake.

"But Berry's with you, isn't he?"

"Yes. Your sister came to lunch yesterday and happened to mention that
he wanted to go to Pistol to-day, so I offered him a lift. He's much
nicer than any chauffeur."

"But whatever did he want to come to Pistol for?"

"Ah." From a great distance I watched Miss Childe's brown eyes take on a
look of mischief that seemed at home in its bright setting. "He wouldn't
tell you and he didn't tell Captain Mansel the truth, so I shan't give
him away." She looked at a tiny wrist-watch. "And now I must be going.
We want to start back at half-past three, and I