from her work and greeted him with a tired smile, as
he collapsed heavily upon a chair, which creaked ominously beneath his
weight.

"When you're sixty-two in the shade it ain't like being twenty-five in
the sun," he said, laughing happily at his joke.

"Now you must sit quiet and be good," admonished Patricia. "I'm busy
with beetles."

"Busy with what?" demanded Mr. Triggs arresting the process of fanning
himself with his handkerchief.

"The potato-beetle," explained Patricia. "There is no lack of variety
in the life of an M.P.'s secretary: babies and beetles, pigs and
potatoes, meat and margarine, they all have their allotted place."

"Arthur works you too 'ard, me dear, I'm afraid," said Mr. Triggs. "I
must speak to 'im about it."

"Oh, Mr. Triggs! You mustn't do anything of the sort. He's most kind
and considerate, and if I am here I must do what he wants."

"But beetles and babies and potatoes, me dear," said Mr. Triggs.
"That's more than a joke."

"Oh! you don't know what a joke a beetle can be," said Patricia,
looking up and laughing in spite of herself at the expression of
anxiety on Mr. Triggs's face.

Mr. Triggs mumbled something to himself.

"God bless my soul!" he exclaimed a moment after. "'Ere am I,
forgetting what I come about. I've seen _The Morning Post_, me dear."

Patricia pushed back her chair from the table and turned and faced Mr.
Triggs.

"Mr. Triggs," she said, "if you mention the words _Morning Post_ to me
again I think I shall kill you."

Mr. Triggs's hands dropped to his side as he gazed at her in blank
astonishment. "But, me dear----" he began.

"The engagement has been broken off," announced Patricia.

Mr. Triggs's jaw dropped, and he gazed at Patricia in amazement.
"Broken off," he repeated. "Engagement broken off. Why, damn 'im,
I'll punch 'is 'ead," and he made an effort to rise.

Patricia laughed, a little hysterically.

"You mustn't blame Lord Peter," she said. "It is I who have broken it
off."

Mr. Triggs collapsed into the chair again. "You broke it off," he
exclaimed. "You broke off the engagement with a nice young chap like
'im?"

Patricia nodded.

"Well, I'm blowed!" Mr. Triggs sat staring at Patricia as if she had
suddenly become transformed into a dodo. After nearly a minute's
contemplation of Patricia, a smile slowly spread itself over his
features, like the sun breaking through a heavy cloud-laden sky.

"You been 'avin' a quarrel, th