cuts in and, with the luck of an outsider, picks up four
kings."

"That's it," said Berry. "And we hold three aces."

"Exactly," said I.

"But four kings beat three aces," said Adele.

"You're forgetting Herbert," said I.

"No, I'm not," said my wife. "Herbert's the Ace of Spades."

"No, sweetheart," said Berry. "He's the joker."

* * * * *

It was early upon the following morning that a letter was brought by
hand to our door.

_DEAR MRS. PLEYDELL,_

_I'm afraid you must have thought all sorts of things about me after
I'd gone yesterday, but I've just this moment had a telegram, and I'm
so excited I can hardly write. I know my name now. You see, I used to
be the Marquis Lecco. Then, when Father died, they said he'd never
been the Duke at all, and so I had no name. But now it's all settled,
and they've lost their case. And I can sign myself always,_

_Yours very sincerely,
PADUA._

CHAPTER VI

HOW BERRY RAN CONTRABAND GOODS, AND THE DUKE OF PADUA PLIGHTED JILL HIS
TROTH

That Jill was in love with the Duke of Padua was only less manifest
than that the Duke of Padua was in love with Jill. Something, however,
was wrong. So much our instinct reported. Our reason refused to
believe it, and, with one consent, we pretended that all was well. For
all that, there lay a shadow athwart the babies' path. Yet the sky was
cloudless.... The thing was too hard for us.

With a sigh, I opened my case and took out a cigarette. Then I handed
the case to Berry. The latter waved it aside and wrinkled his nose.

"I'm through," he said shortly. "Offal's all very well in an
incinerator, if the wind's the right way, but, as a substitute for
tobacco--well, it soon palls."

I closed the case and slid it into my pocket.

"I must confess," I said, "that I'm nearing the breaking-point."

"Well, I wish you'd be quick and reach it," said Adele. "How you can
go on at all, after finding that fly, I can't imagine."

She shuddered at the memory.

Less than a week ago a suspicious protuberance in the line of a local
cigarette had attracted my attention. Investigation had revealed the
presence of a perfect, if somewhat withered, specimen of the _musca
domestica_ imbedded in the vegetation which I had been proposing to
smoke. This was too much for the girls, none of whom had since touched
a cigarette, and when my brother-in-law suggested that the fly had
probably desired