Kathleen

ht-particularly at my expense. I was the only one who had not been out to Banc

f, what luck?"

r has given me a job and I'm going to cal

someone. "On Sun

t concoct anything as crude as that, an

ed at the house this afternoon," said Forb

so, Good-Night!" As I spoke, I wondered rath

rvellous! She wears a blue tam-o' shanter and has an an

her hours ago. She was on the train w

st didn't begin until two o'clock. My point was that I had not transgressed

oo, if you hadn't been all frowsting over Tit-Bits in the train. A

rsation by asking w

tly thought him the most dangerous competitor. He has a quiet, impish twinkle in his eye,

seen Fred, and said he looked like a rotter. We drank Kathleen's health a couple of times, and then the other three sat down to dummy bridge. I slipped awa

, but to my disappointment Mr. Kent's volume was out. Looking round for a place to sit, the first person

whispered. "Getting

is volume with a newspaper, but

of fiction you're mul

," said the Goblin, without a quiver. "Ou

own in a corner of the room with a volume of the Br

, Wordsworth, and Worms. By the time I got to Wolverhampton it was closing time. I did just seize the infor

room was empty. The landlord said that Whitney and F

together, and when I went up

una!" he said

the room and picked it up. It was "Memorials of Old Staffordshire," by Philip Kent, F.S.A., the very copy that I had looked for at the Library. I skimmed over i

table. Three indignant Scorpions were weighing it, studying the handwri

ut I'll swear it's the same

out of the room before opening it. Forbes was right: it

ANCROF

ERHA

day E

MR. B

quarian interest in this region. Curiously enough, only this afternoon we had two wires from our cousin Joe in Oxford,

l be delighted to take you to see the quite surprising relics in this vicinity. Joe has probably told you all about Fred, who is really quite one of

y to this, but just t

rely

IP K

he appeals from the coffee-room to come in and tell them all

d cousins, probably, who are close enough to the family to be a familiar figure, and yet far enough away in blood to marry the daughter! And then there was this sinister person, Fred, who was "really quite one of the family." Another cousin, perhaps

n disappearance would help to demoralize my rivals. I stuck my head into the breakfast-room where Priapus was just dishing out the bacon and eggs. In that instant it struck me again

t was a beautiful, clear morning, and I hurried through the streets with exultation, but also with a good deal of nervousness as to the outcome of this shameless hoaxing. At any rate, I thou

ot as one would say at home),

RICK

ancrof

ERHA

rt leg playing soccer wish you

O

re. I ate with my antiquarian notes on Wolverhampton propped against the coffee

good deal. Just how far the telegram I had just sent might conflict with the facts as known to the Kents, I could not surmise. I could only trust to luck and pray for the

and I could get a distant view of her. I walked round to the church. Service had begun, but I went in and sat down at the back. During a hymn I took a good look round. To my horror I saw in a pew a few feet in front of me a young person whose ro

et there, I guess I can gain ground as fast as any pse

e, preparatory to starting for Bancroft Road, when the chambermaid came to

ROFT

y Mor

R MR.

ead of to luncheon? I am exceedingly embarrassed to have to make this change, but (to be quite frank) one of our maids has been taken i

appy to see you at sup

ally

IP K

roughly ashamed of myself. I don't know whether any of the others came back to the Boar for lunch, or not. I put