rious entry was the item that
if you were wintering in England you would be looking out for a hunter or
two. You used to hunt with the East Wessex, I remember; I've got just
the very animal that will suit that country, ready waiting for you. A
beautiful clean jumper. I've put it over a fence or two myself, and you
and I ride much the same weight. A stiffish price is being asked for it,
but I've got the letters D.O. after your name."

"In Heaven's name," said Yeovil, now openly grinning, "before I die of
curiosity tell me what D.O. stands for."

"It means some one who doesn't object to pay a good price for anything
that really suits him. There are some people of course who won't
consider a thing unless they can get it for about a third of what they
imagine to be its market value. I've got another suggestion down against
you in my book; you may not be staying in the country at all, you may be
clearing out in disgust at existing conditions. In that case you would
be selling a lot of things that you wouldn't want to cart away with you.
That involves another set of entries and a whole lot of cross
references."

"I'm afraid I've given you a lot of trouble," said Yeovil drily.

"Not at all," said Herlton, "but it would simplify matters if we take it
for granted that you are going to stay here, for this winter anyhow, and
are looking out for hunters. Can you lunch with me here on Wednesday,
and come and look at the animal afterwards? It's only thirty-five
minutes by train. It will take us longer if we motor. There is a two-
fifty-three from Charing Cross that we could catch comfortably."

"If you are going to persuade me to hunt in the East Wessex country this
season," said Yeovil, "you must find me a convenient hunting box
somewhere down there."

"I have found it," said Herlton, whipping out a stylograph, and hastily
scribbling an "order to view" on a card; "central as possible for all the
meets, grand stabling accommodation, excellent water-supply, big
bathroom, game larder, cellarage, a bakehouse if you want to bake your
own bread--"

"Any land with it?"

"Not enough to be a nuisance. An acre or two of paddock and about the
same of garden. You are fond of wild things; a wood comes down to the
edge of the garden, a wood that harbours owls and buzzards and kestrels."

"Have you got all those details in your book?" asked Yeovil; "'wood
adjoining property, O.B.K.'"

"I keep those details in my head," sai