and understood his subject.

"Whenever you like, Katherine," he said.

"This afternoon?"

"I'm afraid they want polishing up and arranging. I've got some new
things which I've not placed. I've rather neglected them lately. Let us
say to-morrow afternoon. Then they'll all be spick and span for you."

Katherine assented. "I've been down here so often and never seen them,"
she said. "It seems odd, considering the years we've known each other."

"I only took it up after father's death," said Dick. "And since then,
you know, you haven't been here so very often."

"It was only the last time that I discovered you took an interest an the
collection. You hid your light under a bushel. Then I went to London and
heard that you were a great authority on the subject."

Dick's tanned face reddened with pleasure.

"I do know something about it. You see, guns and swords and pistols are
in my line. I'm good at killing things. I ought to have been a soldier,
only I couldn't pass examinations, so I sort of interest myself in the
old weapons and do my killing in imagination."

"You give a regular lecture, don't you?"

"Well, you know," said Dick modestly, "a lot of them are historical.