ow like a man!"

"Given you away, me dear!" cried Mr. Triggs anxiously. "What 'ave I
done?"

"Why, you have told these two people here that made an assignation with
you by telegram."

"Made a what, me dear?" enquired Mr. Triggs, his forehead corrugated
with anxiety.

"Lady Tanagra is taking a mean advantage of the heat, Mr. Triggs," said
Elton.

"Anyway, I'll forgive you anything, Mr. Triggs, as you have come," said
Lady Tanagra.

Mr. Triggs's brow cleared and he smiled.

"Come! I should think I would come," he said.

Lady Tanagra then explained her meeting with Mr. Triggs and how he had
striven to avoid her company at luncheon on the previous day. Mr.
Triggs protested vigorously.

During the tea the conversation was entirely in the hands of Lady
Tanagra, Elton and Mr. Triggs. Patricia sat silently listening to the
others. Several times Lady Tanagra and Mr. Triggs exchanged meaning
glances.

"Why ain't you talking, me dear?" Mr. Triggs once asked.

"I like to hear you all," said Patricia, smiling across at him.
"You're all too clever for me," she added.

"Me clever!" cried Mr. Triggs, and then as if the humour of the thing
had suddenly struck him he went off into gurgles of laughter. "You
ought to tell 'Ettie that," he spluttered. "She thinks 'er old
father's a fool. Me clever!" he repeated, and again he went off into
ripples of mirth.

"What are your views on love, Mr. Triggs?" demanded Lady Tanagra
suddenly.

Mr. Triggs gazed at her in surprise.

Then he looked from Patricia to Elton, as if not quite sure whether or
no he were expected to be serious.

"If I were you I should decline to reply. Lady Tanagra treats serious
subjects flippantly," said Elton. "Her attitude towards life is to
prepare a pancake as if it were a souffle."

"That proves the Celt in me," cried Lady Tanagra. "If I were English I
should make a souffle as if it were a pancake."

Mr. Triggs looked from one to the other in obvious bewilderment.

"I am perfectly serious in my question," said Lady Tanagra, without the
vestige of a smile. "Mr. Triggs is elemental."

"To be elemental is to be either indelicate or overbearing," murmured
Elton, "and Mr. Triggs is neither."

"Love, me dear?" said Mr. Triggs, not in the least understanding the
trend of the conversation. "I don't think I've got any ideas about it."

"Surely you are not a cynic. Mr. Triggs," demanded Lady Tanagra.

"A what?" enquired Mr. Triggs.

"