presently Mrs. Atterby-Smith, after studying me for a long while with
a cold eye, rose majestically and swept off to bed followed by her
offspring.

Afterwards I ascertained from Mrs. Scroope that Lady Ragnall had been
amusing herself by taking away my character in every possible manner
for the benefit of her connections, who were left with a general
impression that I was the chief of a native tribe somewhere in Central
Africa where I dwelt in light attire surrounded by the usual
accessories. No wonder, therefore, that Mrs. A.-S. thought it best to
remove her "Twin Pets," as she called them, out of my ravening reach.

Then the Scroopes went away, having arranged for me to lunch with them
on the morrow, an invitation that I hastily accepted, though I heard
Lady Ragnall mutter--"Mean!" beneath her breath. With them departed
the canon and his wife and the curate, being, as they said, "early
birds with duties to perform." After this Lady Ragnall paid me out by
going to bed, having instructed Moxley to show us to the smoking room,
"where," she whispered as she said good night, "I hope you will enjoy
yourself."

Over the rest of the night I draw a veil. For a solid hour and three-
quarters did I sit in that room between this dreadful pair, being
alternately questioned and lectured. At length I could stand it no
longer and while pretending to help myself to whiskey and soda,
slipped through the door and fled upstairs.

I arrived late to breakfast purposely and found that I was wise, for
Lady Ragnall was absent upstairs, recovering from "a headache." Mr.
A.-Smith was also suffering from a headache downstairs, the result of