ean, yellow and rather
careworn face contrasted quaintly with his snow-white cap and costume.
The cook might well be careworn, for cookery was the Major's hobby. He
was one of those amateurs who always know more than the professional.
The only other person he even admitted to be a judge of an omelette was
his friend Cray--and as Brown remembered this, he turned to look for the
other officer. In the new presence of daylight and people clothed and
in their right mind, the sight of him was rather a shock. The taller and
more elegant man was still in his night-garb, with tousled black hair,
and now crawling about the garden on his hands and knees, still looking
for traces of the burglar; and now and again, to all appearance,
striking the ground with his hand in anger at not finding him. Seeing
him thus quadrupedal in the grass, the priest raised his eyebrows rather
sadly; and for the first time guessed that "fancies things" might be an
euphemism.

The third item in the group of the cook and the epicure was also known
to Father Brown; it was Audrey Watson, the Major's ward and housekeeper;
and at this moment, to judge by her apron, tucked-up sleeves and
resolute manner, much more the housekeeper than the ward.

"It serves you right," she was saying: "I always told you not to have
that old-fashioned cruet-stand."

"I prefer it," said Putnam, placably. "I'm old-fashioned myself; and the
things keep together."

"And vanish together, as you see," she retorted. "Well, if you are not
going to bother about the burglar, I shouldn't bother about the lunch.
It's Sunday, and we can't send for vinegar and all that in the town; and
you Indian gentlemen can't enjoy what you call a dinner without a lot
of hot things. I wish to goodness now you hadn't asked Cousin Oliver to
take me to the musical service. It isn't over till half-past twelve,
and the Colonel has to leave by then. I don't believe you men can manage
alone."

"Oh yes, we can, my dear," said the Major, looking at her very amiably.
"Marco has all the sauces, and we've often done ourselves well in very
rough places, as you might know by now. And it's time you had a treat,
Audrey; you mustn't be a housekeeper every hour of the day; and I know
you want to hear the music."

"I want to go to church," she said, with rather severe eyes.

She was one of those handsome women who will always be handsome, because
the beauty is not in an air or a tint, but in the very structure of th