"Good gracious!"

"So you'd say, sir, if you could see some of the goings on. 'E
don't make friends with the neighbors. There's some of them
thinks that when 'e was up among those monsters you wrote about,
it was just `'Ome, Sweet 'Ome' for the master, and 'e was never
in fitter company. That's what _they_ say. But I've served 'im
ten years, and I'm fond of 'im, and, mind you, 'e's a great man,
when all's said an' done, and it's an honor to serve 'im. But 'e
does try one cruel at times. Now look at that, sir. That ain't
what you might call old-fashioned 'ospitality, is it now? Just
you read it for yourself."

The car on its lowest speed had ground its way up a steep,
curving ascent. At the corner a notice-board peered over a
well-clipped hedge. As Austin said, it was not difficult to
read, for the words were few and arresting:--

|---------------------------------------|
| WARNING. |
| ---- |
| Visitors, Pressmen, and Mendicants |
| are not encouraged. |
| |
| G. E. CHALLENGER. |
|_______________________________________|


"No, it's not what you might call 'earty," said Austin, shaking