ly the truth about those pajamas, so that they would know
that the man they were harboring under their roof wasn't what he seemed
to be." His gaze bored higher over my head, his voice tapering off so
faintly I could hardly hear.

But I heard all right! Oh, yes, I got the full devilish force of it; but
I couldn't speak. My dry lips touched wordlessly and I hunched deep into
the hollow of the big leather rocker. I would have liked to get even
deeper, and I studied wistfully a tiny floor-crack under the radiator. I
thought I could make it if I were alone!

Wilkes coughed again. I winced--there was evidently more!

"Yes, sir," he murmured, as I cut a quick glance upward. "He _did_ say
further that if you weren't satisfied, though, and would prefer another
trial--"

"Eh?" I bounded out of the chair. "What's that? Oh, dash it, _yes_--I
would, by Jove!"

"Very good, sir." Wilkes looked relieved, himself. "In that
case, he said he was willing to experiment again--that was his
word--_experiment_. He said he wouldn't detain you here on _his_
account, but he would _have_ to ask you to stay another day or two while
he made his observations."

It was a devilish cold shoulder, but I had no choice. Fact was, by Jove,
I was so jolly glad for _that_ chance, and for being trusted again by
Billings, even in this half-hearted way, that I just ground my pride
under my heel--why, dash it, I would have ground anything under my heel
for _her_! I was as happy as a bird, and life was again one grand, sweet
what's-its-name.

"Tell him certainly, Wilkes, and thank him--don't forget to thank him."
And I believe I wrung his hand. "And--er--wait, Wilkes--couldn't you use
a tenner?" I checked him on the threshold. "Let's see--no, that's a
twenty--say, take _that_; take them both--_thank_ you, Wilkes!--and
there's a five, too. Oh, yes, you _must_ take it all--I have no use for
it, you know--never _would_ use those particular ones!"

And, by Jove, he took it--just made him, you know. These butlers are not
half bad fellows if you go at them right--I can _always_ manage them. He
sympathized with me--you could see that--dashed if the fellow wasn't
almost weeping as he closed the door.

And then I just flopped down upon a divan and lay there panting like a
what's-its-name--reaction, you know. So he _had_ known! He had known
when he let me come to Wolhurst, and had waited for the moment when he
would have me under his roof and be able utterly to c