next thing to extinguished.
Once more the trays were in requisition for the invalids, and again the
colonel and Mr. Perrowne acted as aids to Miss Du Plessis and Miss
Halbert. Just as soon as he could draw her attention away from the
minister, Coristine remarked to Miss Carmichael: "I have the worst luck
of any man; I never get sick or wounded or any other trouble that needs
nursing." The young lady said in a peremptory manner, "Show me your
hands;" and the lawyer had to exhibit two not very presentable paws. She
turned them palms up, and shuddered at the scorched, blistered and
scratched appearance of them. "Where are Mr. Errol's gloves I put on
you?"

"In the pocket of my wet coat in the kitchen."

"Why did you dare to take them off when I put them on?"

"Because I was like the cat in the proverb, not that I was after mice
you know, but I couldn't fire in gloves."

"Well, your firing is done now, and I shall expect you to come to me in
the workroom, immediately after breakfast, to have these gloves put on
again. Do you hear me, sir?"

"Yes."

"And what else? Do you mean to obey?"

"Oh, yes, Miss Carmichael, of course, always, with the greatest joy in
the world."

"Nobody asked you, sir, to obey always."

"I beg your pardon, Miss Carmichael, I'm afraid I'm a little confused."

"Then I hope you will not put me to confusion, as you did this morning."

"I'm awfully sorry," said the mendacious lawyer, "but it was the coat
and collar, you know." Then most illogically, he added, "I'd like to
wear this coat and this collar all the time."

"No, you would not; they are not at all becoming to you. Oh, do look at
poor Mr. Bangs!"

The detective's sleeves were turned back, thanks to Mrs. Carmichael,
but, as he sat at breakfast, the voluminous coat sagged over his
shoulder, and down came the eclipsing sleeve over his coffee cup. When
he righted matters with his left hand, the coat slewed round to the
other side, knocked his fork out of his hand, and fell with violence on
his omelet. The Captain looked at him, and bawled: "I say, mate, you've
got to have a reef took in your back topsel. You don't mind a bit of
reef tackle in the back of your coat, do you, John?" The Squire did not
object; so Miss Carmichael was despatched to the sewing room for two
large pins, and she and the Captain between them pinched up the back of
the coat longitudinally to the proper distance, and pinned the detective
up a little more than was