ny way. But----"

"Well then?"

"Will it be any easier for you?" he asked thoughtfully.

"Well, of course, it will be once setting instead of twice, and that
iss easier----"

"Then suppose you put it to them on that ground, Mrs. Carre, solely on
that ground, you understand. And if they are agreeable, I--well, I
shall not raise any objections."

And so, presently, Mrs. Carre said to the ladies, "You did get on all
right with the gentleman last night, yes?"

"Oh, quite, Mrs. Carre," sparkled Miss Penny.

"I wass wondering if it would please you to dine all at once together
again each night. You see, it would save me the trouble of setting
twice. I did ask him and he said he didn't mind if you didn't. He iss
a very nice quiet gentleman, I am sure."

"I'm sure it's very good of him," said Miss Penny. "By all means serve
us all at once together, Mrs. Carre. I guess we can stand it if he
can."

"That iss all right then," said Mrs. Carre, and the common evening
meal became an institution--to Graeme's vast enjoyment.

XIII

When the girls went into their room after breakfast to put on their
hats and scrambling shoes, they saw Graeme sitting on the low stone
wall, as usual, smoking his after-breakfast pipe, and they caught a
part of the conversation in progress between him and Johnny Vautrin.

"I see five crows 's mawnin'," they heard in Johnnie's sepulchral
voice.

"Really, now! Catch any?"

"There wuss five crows."

"Ah--five? That's an odd number! And what special ill-luck do you
infer from five crows, Johnnie?"

"Someone's goan to be sick," said Johnnie, with joyous anticipation.

"Dear me! That's what five crows mean, is it?"

"Ouaie!"

"They didn't go into particulars, I suppose,--as to who it is likely
to be, for instance, and the exact nature of the seizure?"

"They flew over to church there and settled in black trees."

"Vicar, maybe, since they went that way."

"Mebbe!"--hopefully.

"Well, well! Perhaps if we gave him a hint he might take some
precautions."

"Couldn' tek nauthen 'd be any use 'gainst crows. Go'zamin, they
knows!"

"You're just a confirmed old croaker, Johnnie."

"A'n't!" said Johnnie.

"Where's our old friend Marielihou?"

"She's a-busy," said Johnnie, wriggling uncomfortably.

"Ah,--killing something, I presume. Is it going to keep fine for the
next three or four weeks?"

"I don' think."

"You don't, you little rascal?"

"You might do your best for us, J