aphne, following after Jonah. "After all, there's no
harm done."

"It was a near thing," said I. "But for my brain-wave----"

"Nonsense," said Daphne, "I got him away."

"To be candid," said Jonah, "if anybody's to get a mention, I'm inclined
to think it should be Mr. Lewis."

While we were waiting for tea, I read the letter aloud.

_SIR,_

_I can never adequately express my regret for the distressing, if
momentary, aberration unhappily responsible for my appropriation of a
hat which in no way resembles my own._

_I dare entertain no hope that inconvenience has not resulted to you,
but I beg that you will accept, first, my fervid assurance that it was
not of industry, but of case that I offended, and, secondly, my most
humble apologies for the commission of so unfriendly a gest._

_I am, Sir,_

_Your obedient Servant,_

_LUKE ST J. BILDEW, B.D._

When I had finished--

"I don't understand half of it," said Jill.

"I confess it needs annotating, but it's worth keeping, for it's the
real thing, my dear--a human document. You see, Oxford is the most
wonderful backwater in the world, but--it's a backwater."

"And if you stay in it always," said Agatha, "and never come out into
the stream----"

"You are liable to take the wrong hat and to write letters that would be
the better for footnotes."

Berry arrived with the tea.

In silence he received his own hat, compared it with one which he had
just purchased, and then handed the latter to the waiter. In silence he
read Mr. Bildew's note. In silence he selected a piece of bread and
butter and sank into a chair.

"I can't bear it," said Daphne. "Where's Mr. Lewis?"

"Happily he decided to catch a train twenty minutes ago. Otherwise it
would have been murder. I should have pleaded guilty to manslaughter,
committed under extreme provocation. That man oughtn't to be allowed. I
suppose you forgot to go to New College. Yes, just so."

"And the coal?" said I. "Have you fixed that up?"

"Three tons of the best nuts are to be delivered _sub rosa_ between two
and three to-morrow afternoon. Nothing is to be said, nothing signed.
Nobody is to know anything about it. The carter will simply take up the
plate, shoot the stuff in, and push off. As I happened to have six
pounds ten shillings upon me, the transaction will not be recorded."
With a depreciatory hand he waved aside the involuntary buzz of grateful
admiration. "I am not long for this world. I am, as it wer