ught she looked a trifle statuesque," I
said. "Did she seem annoyed?"

"Worse," replied Charles. "She hurried on again without speaking a
word. 'Stop,' I cried, 'stop! I am a friend of the fairy prince;' and
just then we came out on to a piece of lawn, and she gave a little
shriek and actually ran away, leaving me standing where I was. I was
so ashamed and exhausted that I slunk back through the little gate and
had some more raspberries. When I had partially recovered I returned
to the upper part of the garden again, had two cups of tea in the big
tent, and made my way back to the station, where I saw you. If you
hadn't got into another carriage I should have told you about it at
the time."

"Then you never saw them going away at all?" I said.

"No," replied Charles; "did you?"

"Did I not?" said I. "You wouldn't believe the amount of rice I
started their married life with. About two milk puddings' worth, I
should say. And so you are not quite satisfied with William's choice?"

"Well, she seems to me to be rather an unresponsive and timid sort
of person," said Charles. "Not tactful, nor likely to make what the
newspapers call a charming hostess. I should have liked dear William
to marry someone who would be a social success."

I smoked for some time in silence, and then I had an idea.

"How was the bride dressed when you saw her, Charles?" I asked.

"Do I know how women are dressed? She was in white, of course, and
hadn't a hat on."

"But she had a train and a veil, I suppose. She hadn't a short skirt
by any chance?"

"Goodness, how do I know?" he replied. "I didn't notice all that. Why
do you ask?"

"Well, you only saw her once, you see," I said, "and you went through
that little gate at the bottom of the garden, didn't you?"

"I did," said Charles. "What's that got to do with it?"

"Nothing, nothing. Only I know that there were some people playing
tennis at the next house, and very likely the two gardens are
connected, and I'm wondering whether that girl----"

"Good heavens," said Charles.... "You haven't got such a thing as a
hairpin about you, have you? This pipe's stopped up."

* * * * *

"The Nambudiri school is progressing with the French motto of
'Festina lente!'"--_The Malabar Herald._

More progress might be made with the old Latin tag, "_Trop de zele._"

* * * * *

"'As long as I can play as good a game of golf a