gh note something
seemed to scatter the flames, and the drawer full of explosives caught
fire," said Mr. Darnby Frere aggressively, flourishing his empty biscuit
tin.

"It doesn't matter," said Miss Ford calmly. "We are all going across the
sea to-morrow." She roused herself a little, and said to Mr. Frere with
a smile: "You know, I inherit the sea tradition. My father commanded
H.M.S. _Indigestible_ in '84."

"I wonder what put out the flame so suddenly?" asked Mr. Tovey, who was
still dreamily beating time to imaginary music with one hand.

"I put it out," said Richard.

"I wonder whose house it is?" added Mr. Tovey, turning vaguely to face
Richard.

"It is my house," said Richard.

They all discovered his presence.

"Your house, dear Rrchud?" exclaimed Lady Arabel. "Are you sure? I
didn't know the Higginses had any house property on Mitten Island."

"They haven't now," replied Richard. "But never mind. It has always
seemed to me that there were too many houses in the world. Most houses
are traps into which everything enters, and out of which nothing comes.
It always grieves me to see tradesmen pouring sustenance in at the back
door, and no result or justification coming out of the front door. I
often think that only the houses that men's bodies have deserted are
really inhabited."

"It was I who burnt your house down, Richard," said Miss Ford. "But it
doesn't matter. It wasn't a real house."

"You are right," said Richard. "To such as you, dear Meta, it was not a
real house. It was the House of Living Alone, and only to people who
live alone was it real. It is dark and deserted now, and levelled with
the cold ground; it is as though it were a tent, being moved from its
position to follow the fortunes of those dwellers alone who wander
continually in silence up and down the world...."

He looked at Sarah Brown.

"Talking of wandering," said Miss Ford. "We are all going to America,
Richard. Can you get us passports?"

"Certainly," agreed Richard. "To America, eh? A nice little trip for you
all. America, you know, would be entirely magic, if it weren't for the
Americans...."

"I have quite a circle of friends in New York," said Miss Ford, who
seemed to be recovering from her nerve-storm.

"Beware," said Richard, "lest you all forget the magic of to-night, and
change from adventurers to tourists."

"I am not going to America," said Lady Arabel. "I am going home. I never
heard such dretful nonsense.