'oldin' me 'ere like this. It's like kissin' a girl against her
will."

At this juncture there was a loud ringing at the outer bell.

"Go!" said Lady Knob-Kerrick, addressing Thomas.

"Now then, 'op it, Calves," added Bindle, as he resumed his armlet.

A minute later an inspector of police entered. He bowed to Lady
Knob-Kerrick and looked towards Bindle, who saluted with a suddenness
so dramatic as to cause both Wilton and Thomas involuntarily to start
back.

"This man has been----" Lady Knob-Kerrick paused, at a loss to
formulate the charge.

"Says I've run off with 'er daughter--me! 'Oly Moses! If Mrs. Bindle
only knew!" And Bindle smiled so broadly and so joyously that even the
official face of the inspector relaxed.

"What is the complaint, my lady?" the inspector enquired, producing his
note-book.

"Someone has abducted my daughter and--and--we--I got this man."

Lady Knob-Kerrick was hesitant, and clearly not very sure of her ground.

She explained how she had gone into the garden in search of Miss
Knob-Kerrick, had come across the ladder, and how in moving it Bindle
had come crashing down upon her, and had been captured.

The inspector turned to Bindle, whom he knew as a special constable.

"This 'ere's goin' to be a serious business for 'er," Bindle indicated
Lady Knob-Kerrick with his thumb. "I 'eard a whistle, then see a man
on the wall and another in a motor-car. 'What-oh!' says I, 'burglars
or German spies. If I blows me whistle orf they goes.' I climbs up a
tree and drops on to the wall, crawls along, then I 'ears a young
woman's voice. I jest got to the top of the ladder, frightened as a
goat I was, when somebody gives it a tug. Over I tumbles on wot I
thought was a air-cushion, but it was 'er." Bindle bowed elaborately
to Lady Knob-Kerrick, who flushed scarlet. "She nabs me when I was
goin' to nab the lot of 'em. I might 'a got the V.C.! Silly things,
women." Bindle spat the words out with supreme disgust.

The inspector turned to Lady Knob-Kerrick.

"Do you wish to charge this special constable?"

"Yes, that's it," put in Bindle. "Jest let 'er charge me. She's got
to do it now since she's 'eld me 'ere, and I'm out for damages.
There's also goin' to be some damage done to Dicky-Bird and Calves
before I've finished." And Bindle looked fiercely from one to the
other.

Lady Knob-Kerrick motioned the inspector to the other end of the room,
where she held a whispered con