ieutenant Keith," he said. "Come now. Really, what
about the birds?"

"I'll take care of them," said Lieutenant Keith, still with his long
back turned to us; "they shan't suffer."

"Thank you, sir, thank you," cried the incomprehensible house-agent,
with an air of ecstasy. "You'll excuse my concern, sir. You know I'm
wild on wild animals. I'm as wild as any of them on that. Thank you,
sir. But there's another thing..."

The lieutenant, with his back turned to us, exploded with an
indescribable laugh and swung round to face us. It was a laugh, the
purport of which was direct and essential, and yet which one cannot
exactly express. As near as it said anything, verbally speaking, it
said: "Well, if you must spoil it, you must. But you don't know what
you're spoiling."

"There is another thing," continued Mr Montmorency weakly. "Of course,
if you don't want to be visited you'll paint the house green, but--"

"Green!" shouted Keith. "Green! Let it be green or nothing. I won't have
a house of another colour. Green!" and before we could realize anything
the door had banged between us and the street.

Rupert Grant seemed to take a little time to collect himself; but he
spoke before the echoes of the door died away.

"Your client, Lieutenant Keith, appears somewhat excited," he said.
"What is the matter with him? Is he unwell?"

"Oh, I should think not," said Mr Montmorency, in some confusion. "The
negotiations have been somewhat difficult--the house is rather--"

"Green," said Rupert calmly. "That appears to be a very important point.
It must be rather green. May I ask you, Mr Montmorency, before I rejoin
my companion outside, whether, in your business, it is usual to ask for
houses by their colour? Do clients write to a house-agent asking for a
pink house or a blue house? Or, to take another instance, for a green
house?"

"Only," said Montmorency, trembling, "only to be inconspicuous."

Rupert had his ruthless smile. "Can you tell me any place on earth in
which a green house would be inconspicuous?"

The house-agent was fidgeting nervously in his pocket. Slowly drawing
out a couple of lizards and leaving them to run on the counter, he said:

"No; I can't."

"You can't suggest an explanation?"

"No," said Mr Montmorency, rising slowly and yet in such a way as to
suggest a sudden situation, "I can't. And may I, as a busy man, be
excused if I ask you, gentlemen, if you have any demand to make of me in
connectio