until they are re-magnetised. This baffled the pair of them, and they
were there until after eleven o'clock, drinking enough beer to float a
barge, and confessing that it was a mystery.

"Never see such a thing in ten years' experience," said the motor
expert.

"I'm blowed if I don't think the devil has got inside the magneto,"
said Biggs; and there I agreed with him. For wasn't it Miss Dolly who
had done it, and isn't she--but there, that wouldn't be polite to the
sex, so I won't write it down.

I learned from Biggs that Lord Badington's daughter and stepson were
staying in the house with him, and a couple of old gentlemen, who, when
they weren't making laws at Westminster, were making fools of
themselves on the links at Sandwich. It was a golfing party, in fact,
and next morning early, Biggs took them on to Prince's--and, will you
believe me?--the car came back for the ladies by-and-by, and off went
Miss Dolly, as calmly as though she had known them all her life. Not a
word to me, not a word about going on, or getting the car ready, but
just a nod and a laugh as she went by, and a something in her eyes
which seemed to say, "Britten, I'm doing famously, and I haven't
forgotten you."

The same afternoon about tea-time she sent for me, and had a word with
me in the hall. I learned then that she had promised to stop until the
following morning, and she asked, in a voice which nobody could
mistake, if the car would be ready. When I told her that I was waiting
for a new magneto from London I thought she would kiss me on the spot.

"Oh, Britten," she said in a whisper, "suppose we couldn't get on for
three or four days."

"In that case," said I, "I should consider that we were really
unfortunate, miss, but I'll do my best."

"Are you comfortable at the inn, Britten?"

"Putting on flesh rapidly, miss. I never knew there were so many red
herrings in the world."

"And your room?"

"They built it when they thought the King was coming to Sandwich."

She laughed and looked at me, and, just as I was leaving, she
whispered, "Do make it three or four days, Britten," and I promised her
with a glance she could not mistake. And why not? What was against
us? Was it not all plain sailing? Truly so, but for one little fact.
I'll tell you in a word--Hook-Nosed Moss and the old bill he carried
about like a love-letter--a bill against Dolly St. John for
seventy-five pounds sixteen shillings and fourpence.

Well,