comfortable."

"You see," Cecil continued, "they're not keen on sport at all, and
you don't play bridge--"

Andrew had already disappeared. Cecil turned back into the hall and
lit a cigarette.

"Phew! What a relief!" he muttered to himself. "If only he has the
sense to keep away all the time!"

He rang the bell, which was answered by a butler newly imported from
town.

"Clear away all this mess, James," Cecil ordered, pointing in
disgust to the wet places upon the floor, and the still dripping
southwester, "and serve tea here in an hour, or directly my friends
arrive--tea, and whisky and soda, and liqueurs, you know, with
sandwiches and things."

"I will do my best, sir," the man answered. "The kitchen
arrangements are a little--behind the times, if I might venture to
say so."

"I know, I know," Cecil answered irritably. "The place has been
allowed to go on anyhow while I was away. Do what you can, and let
them know outside that they must make room for one, or perhaps two
automobiles...."

Upstairs Andrew was rapidly throwing a few things together. With an