itish policy everywhere. It was not that she was
particularly strict or narrow in her views of life, but she had been
the eldest sister of a large family of self-indulgent children, and her
particular form of indulgence had consisted in openly disapproving of
the foibles of the others. Unfortunately the hobby had grown up with
her. As she was rich, influential, and very, very kind, most people
were content to count their early tea as well lost on her behalf.
Still, the necessity for hurriedly dropping the discussion of an
enthralling topic, and suppressing all mention of it during her
presence on the scene, was an affliction at a moment like the present,
when time was slipping away and indecision was the prevailing note.

After a lunch-time of rather strangled and uneasy conversation, Clovis
managed to get most of the party together at the further end of the
kitchen gardens, on the pretext of admiring the Himalayan pheasants.
He had made an important discovery. Motkin, the butler, who (as Clovis
expressed it) had grown prematurely grey in Lady Susan's service, added
to his other excellent qualities an intelligent interest in matters
connected with the Turf. On the subject of the forthcoming race he was
not illuminating, except in so far that he shared the prevailing
unwillingness to see a winner in Peradventure II. But where he
outshone all the members of the house-party was in the fact that he had
a second cousin who was head stable-lad at a neighbouring racing
establishment, and usually gifted with much inside information as to
private form and possibilities. Only the fact of her ladyship having
taken it into her head to invite a house-party for the last week of May
had prevented Mr. Motkin from paying a visit of consultation to his
relative with respect to the big race; there was still time to cycle
over if he could get leave of absence for the afternoon on some
specious excuse.

"Let's jolly well hope he does," said Bertie van Tahn; "under the
circumstances a second cousin is almost as useful as second sight."

"That stable ought to know something, if knowledge is to be found
anywhere," said Mrs. Packletide hopefully.

"I expect you'll find he'll echo my fancy for Motorboat," said Colonel
Drake.

At this moment the subject had to be hastily dropped. Lady Susan bore
down upon them, leaning on the arm of Clovis's mother, to whom she was
confiding the fact that she disapproved of the craze for Pekingese
s