He wrote. His letter was returned unopened. He passed
a miserable week, unable to work, at a loose end in London during the
height of the season. In despair he went to _The Daily Gazette_ office
and proclaimed himself ready for a job. But for the moment the earth was
fairly calm and the management could find no field for Jaffery's special
activities. Arbuthnot again offered him reports of fires and fashionable
weddings, but this time Jaffery did not enjoy the fine humour of the
proposal. He blistered Arbuthnot with abuse, swung from the newspaper
office, and barged mightily down Fleet Street, a disturber of traffic.
Then he came down to Northlands for a while, where, for want of
something to do, he hired himself out to my gardener and dug up most of
the kitchen garden. His usual occupation of romping with Susan was gone,
for she lay abed with some childish ailment which Barbara feared might
turn into German measles. So when he was not perspiring over a spade or
eating or sleeping he wandered about the place in his most restless
mood. At nights he ransacked my library for gazetteers and atlases
wherein he searched for abominable places likely to afford the explorer
the most horrible life and the bleakest possible death. He was toying
with the idea of making a jaunt on his own account to Thibet, when a
merciful Providence gave him something definite to think about.

It was Saturday morning. I was shaving peacefully in my dressing-room
when Jaffery, after thunderously demanding admittance, rushed in, clad
in bath gown and slippers, flourishing a letter.

"Read that."

I recognised Liosha's handwriting. I read:

"Dear Jaff Chayne,

"As you are my Trustee, I guess I ought to tell you what I'm going
to do. I'm going to marry Ras Fendihook--"

I looked up. "But you told me the man was married already."

"He is. Read on."

"We are going to be married at once. We are going to be married at
Havre in France. Ras says that because I am a widow and an Albanian
it would be an awful trouble for me to get married in England, and
I would have to give up half my money to Government. But in France,
owing to different laws, I can get married without any fuss at all.
I don't understand it, but Ras has consulted a lawyer, so it's all
right. I suppose when I am married you won't be my trustee any
more. So, dear Jaff Chayne, I must say good-bye and thank you for
all your grea