mal is visible all over me.

I went on to wonder if, should he see Lidbetter, he would know that he
belonged to me. Did I not only betray the fact that I kept a man, but also
what kind of a man I kept?

Good old Lidbetter--what should I do without him? I wondered. How get
through the day at all? How, to begin with, get up?

The morning tea, the warmed copy of _The Times_ and _The Mail_ (only
Lidbetter would ever have thought of warming them), the intimation that the
bath (also of the right temperature) was ready--how should I be thus looked
after without Lidbetter?

And then the careful stropping of my razors. Without Lidbetter how could I
get that done for me?

Without him I am sure I should never change my neck-tie till it was worn
out, or get new shirts until mustard and cress had begun to sprout on the
cuffs of the old ones, or have a crease down my trousers like Mr. GERALD DU
MAURIER, or go out with anything but a dusty overcoat and dustier hat.

But with Lidbetter...!

How do people get on without Lidbetters? I wondered. I suppose there are
men who do not keep men and yet exist--men who can't say, "My man"? An odd
experience.

I wondered how old he was by now--Lidbetter. Difficult to tell the age of
that type, so discreet and equable. He might be anything from thirty to
fifty.

And what was his other name? Curious how I had never ascertained that. I
must ask him, or, better still, get him to witness something and sign his
full name. My will, say.

Talking of wills, perhaps I ought to leave Lidbetter something after such
faithful service.

Good old Lidbetter!

Thus musing I walked home.

The next morning I went to the shop and asked for the parcel.

"You surely won't carry it yourself?" the shopkeeper said. "I would have
sent it only I understood that your man would call."

"I haven't got a man," I said. "I've never had one."

"Pardon," he replied, and gave me the parcel.

* * * * *

[Illustration: COMMERCIAL CANDOUR AT THE SALES.

"I ASSURE YOU, MADAM, THESE KITCHEN KNIVES REPRESENT THE GREATEST VALUE
EVER OFFERED AT THE PRICE."

"THEY CERTAINLY LOOK NICE AND SEEM VERY CHEAP. THE ONLY QUESTION IS--WILL
THEY CUT?"

"AH, MADAM, IF YOU ASK ME THAT, I'M BOUND TO SAY THEY WILL NOT; BUT THAT IS
THEIR _ONE_ FAULT."]

* * * * *

"Two quite unique golf performances have been made on the Lutterworth
course. The Rev. W. C.