time her two visitors took their leave. They left her waving farewell
from her doorstep, the patches of paste still upon her ruddy
countenance, but with no other traces of her recent distress visible.

"Rum old thing!" said Violet. "I want to go round to the Priory and see
Cork and Pluto next. I like to drop in unexpectedly when Bruce is away,
and make sure that they are treated properly."

"We haven't much time," observed Olga.

"Oh, nonsense! Make time! We're not slaves," said Violet imperiously.

And Olga turned in the direction of the Priory without further words. It
always took less time to yield to her friend's behests than to argue
against them.




CHAPTER VII

THE PUZZLE


The visit to the Priory occupied some time, as Olga had foreseen. There
were some things that Violet wanted to fetch from her own room and this
entailed a search, for her possessions were always in the wildest
disorder. Olga waited for her in the hall, chafing at the delay, since
she knew that the car would be required by Max early in the afternoon to
take him on his rounds.