; it is her instinct," mused Mr. Korner to
himself. "Damme," thought Mr. Korner, "I don't believe that half her
time she knows I am her master."

"Go away," said Mr. Korner to a youth of pasty appearance who, with open
mouth, had stopped immediately in front of him.

"I'm fond o' listening," explained the pasty youth.

"Who's talking?" demanded Mr. Korner.

"You are," replied the pasty youth.

It is a long journey from the city to Ravenscourt Park, but the task of
planning out the future life of Mrs. Korner and himself kept Mr. Korner
wide awake and interested. When he got out of the train the thing
chiefly troubling him was the three-quarters of a mile of muddy road
stretching between him and his determination to make things clear to
Mrs. Korner then and there.

The sight of Acacia Villa, suggesting that everybody was in bed and
asleep, served to further irritate him. A dog-like wife would have been
sitting up to see if there was anything he wanted. Mr. Korner, acting
on the advice of his own brass plate, not only knocked but also rang. As
the door did not immediately fly open, he continued to knock and ring.
The window of the best bedroom on the first floor opened.

"Is that you?" said the voice of Mrs. Korner. There was, as it happened,
a distinct suggestion of passion in Mrs. Korner's voice, but not of the
passion Mr. Korner was wishful to inspire. It made him a little more
angry than he was before.

"Don't you talk to me with your head out of the window as if this were a
gallanty show. You come down and open the door," commanded Mr. Korner.

"Haven't you got your latchkey?" demanded Mrs. Korner.

For answer Mr. Korner attacked the door again. The window closed. The
next moment but six or seven, the door was opened with such suddenness
that Mr. Korner, still gripping the knocker, was borne inward in a
flying attitude. Mrs. Korner had descended the stairs ready with a
few remarks. She had not anticipated that Mr. Korner, usually slow of
speech, could be even readier.

"Where's my supper?" indignantly demanded Mr. Korner, still supported by
the knocker.

Mrs. Korner, too astonished for words, simply stared.

"Where's my supper?" repeated Mr. Korner, by this time worked up into
genuine astonishment that it was not ready for him. "What's everybody
mean, going off to bed, when the masterororous hasn't had his supper?"

"Is anything the matter, dear?" was heard the voice of Miss Greene,
speaking from the