empt and stood
waving her tiny handkerchief and then staring after the train.

As we came up, she turned to us bravely.

"I hope," she said shakily, "I hope he'll get on all right. He's such
a child," she added, knitting her pretty brow. "I wish to goodness we
were married. Then I could have gone with him." She stumbled, and I
caught her. She looked up at me with her grey eyes swimming. "I've
often seen you off, Boy, but I wasn't silly like this."

"It's a question of interest, darling. Piers is your very own pigeon."

Jill wiped her eyes thoughtfully.

"I suppose that's it," she said slowly. "My very own.... Boy, will
you take me to a tailor's? I want to get a binder."

Ere we sat down to dinner that night, two stout body-belts had been
dispatched to Paris by registered post.

* * * * *

"Satisfactorily," said Berry, restoring his napkin to his knees, "to
consume oxtail, one should be stripped to the waist."

"That'll do," said Daphne.

"As a rule," said her husband, "it will. Of course, for a really
careless feeder, still further divestment may be desirable. Afterwards
he can be hosed. And now about Spain. Of course, without Piers to
talk for us, we shall be mocked, misled, and generally stung to glory.
But there you are. If you're landed with half a kingdom, I guess it's
up to you to take possession."

"As at present arranged," said Jonah, "we start the day after
to-morrow, spend one night at Pampeluna, two at San Sebastian, and get
back on Saturday."

"One clear day," murmured Daphne. "I suppose that'll give us time."

"What's there to do," said Adele, "besides packing?"

"Not much," said Jonah. "The passports have been visa-ed, and that's
the main thing. We must get some money at the bank--Spanish money, I
mean--book rooms, run over the cars... I can't think of anything else."

"We'd better take some insecticide," said Berry. "Spain's very
conservative."

"Nonsense," said Daphne.

"All right," said her husband. "Only, on the command 'Ter-rot,' don't
wake me to inspect the bodyguard. Have we any castanets? And what
about some sombreros? I mean, I want to do the thing properly."

"Thanks," said his wife. "But if you're going in fancy dress, I'd
rather remain at Pau. I haven't forgotten our second Sunday here."

"I shall always maintain," was the reply, "that I was suitably dressed.
On the previous Sunday I had carefully studied the fashions up