echoed back his words--"_while I live_" after which the room was silent,
save for the heavy thumping of his heart.



When Alan reached home that night after his ten-mile drive he sent
Jeekie to tell the housekeeper to find him some food. In his mysterious
African fashion the negro had already collected much intelligence as
to the events of the day, mostly in the servants' hall, and more
particularly from the two golf-caddies, sons of one of the gardeners,
who it seemed instead of retiring with the clubs, had taken shelter in
some tall whins and thence followed the interview between Barbara and
Sir Robert with the intensest interest. Reflecting that this was not
the time to satisfy his burning curiosity, Jeekie went and in due course
returned with some cold mutton and a bottle of claret. Then came his
chance, for Alan could scarcely touch the mutton and demanded toast and
butter.

"Very inferior chop"--that was his West African word for food--"for a
gentleman, Major," he said, shaking his white head sympathetically and
pointing to the mutton,--"specially when he has unexpectedly departed
from magnificent eating of The Court. Why did you not wait till after
dinner, Major, before retiring?"

Alan laughed at the man's inflated English, and answered in a more
nervous and colloquial style:

"Because I was kicked out, Jeekie."

"Ah! I gathered that kicking was in the wind, Major. Sir Robert Aylward,