rd one from you," replied Holmes in angry perplexity;
"you certainly talked as if you had one of the stolen gems there in
your hand. What did you mean by agreeing with me that it would
seriously hurt your social standing, when all you were trying to
conceal was a tea-packet, huh?"

"Because I'm not supposed to be 'in trade,' that's why, Mr. Impudence.
Any direct connection between myself and the tea industry, such as my
bringing in this sample package to Teresa, so she could induce Louis
the chef to use it in the castle, would at once bar me from further
consideration as a retired gentleman by the London upper crust, into
whose exclusive circles I have but recently wormed myself with such
untiring pertinacity. Now, do you understand why I didn't want to show
you the little package?"

Holmes scowled at the tea sample, as he turned it over in his hand,
and cursed softly under his breath as he replied:

"I don't quite get you, Tooter. Everybody knows that you were born in
obscurity, gradually worked your way up, and made all your money in
the tea and spice business, so why in the deuce should they care if
you take it into your head to be a salesman for your own teas at your
nephew-in-law's residence?"

Tooter sighed deeply, shrugged his shoulders, answered:

"Well, that's the rigorous lesson I had to learn in the West End,
Holmes. You are evidently not familiar with the customs and mental
viewpoint of society people, or you would know that while it is
permissible to acquire wealth by going out and working your head off
for it, it is a most serious offense and an unforgivable _faux pas_ if
you are caught trying to drum up trade for your establishment after
you have landed at the top of the social heap. You see, I am supposed
to let my managers do that, while I confine myself to spending the
coin that they make for me. I guess that's explaining it about as well
as it could be."

And Tooter contemplated the scene outside the window, where the little
green buds were just beginning to push themselves out on the tree
limbs.

This explanation naturally didn't soothe Holmes to any great extent,
as he had always despised society people and their ways, and the
sudden shock of the disappointment, coming just after he had so
successfully recovered the first two cuff-buttons, made him lose his
temper entirely, particularly as he looked around and noticed me
grinning at his sour expression. As a result, both his paternal
Engli