"Two men, Delia! I've only seen one."

"Oh yes, there's another! Sergeant Hooper they call him; a short thickset
man with a black mustache. He buys two bottles of rum every week at the
_Green Man_. And--one minute, please, Mr. Naylor--"

"I was only going to say that it looks to me as if this man Hooper were,
or had been, a soldier. What do you think?"

"Never mind, Papa! Go on, Miss Wall. I'm interested." This encouragement
came from Gertie Naylor, a pretty girl of seventeen who was consuming
much tea, bread, and honey.

"And since then the old gentleman and this Mr. Beaumaroy go to town
regularly every week on Wednesdays! Now who are they, how did Mr. Saffron
get hold of them, and what are they doing here? I'm at a loss, Anna."

Apparently an _impasse_! And Mr. Naylor did not seem to assist matters by
asking whether Miss Wall had kept a constant eye on the Agony Column.
Mrs. Naylor took up her knitting and switched off to another topic.

"Dr. Arkroyd's friend, Delia dear! What a charming girl she looks!"

"Friend, Anna? I didn't know that! A patient, I understand, anyhow. She's
taking Valentine's beef juice. Of course they _do_ give that in drink
cases, but I should be sorry to think--"

"Drugs, more likely," Mr. Naylor suavely interposed. Then he rose from
his chair and began to pace slowly up and down the long room, looking at