ess the Tulliwuddle annals
and statistics into his ally's eager mind, but he had to exercise the
nicest tact and discernment lest the Baron's excess of zeal should trip
their enterprise at the very outset.

"To-day I have told Alicia zat my visit to Russia vill probably be
vollowed by a visit to ze Emperor of China," the Baron would recount
with vast pride in his inventive powers. "And I have dropped a leetle
hint zat for an envoy to be imprisoned in China is not to be surprised.
Zat vill prepare her in case I am avay longer zan ve expect."

"And how did she take that intimation?" asked Essington, with a less
congratulatory air than he had expected.

"I did leave her in tears."

"My dear Baron, fly to her to tell her you are not going to China!
She will get so devilish alarmed if you are gone a week that she'll go
straight to the embassy and make inquiries."

He shook his head, and added in an impressive voice--

"Never lie for lying's sake, Blitzenberg. Besides, how do you propose to
forge a Chinese post-mark?"

The Baron had laid the foundations of his Russian trip on a sound basis
by requesting a friend of his in that country to post to the Baroness
the bi-weekly budgets of Muscovite gossip which he intended to
compose at Hechnahoul. This, it seemed to him, would be a simple feat,
particularly with his friend Bunker to assist; but he had to confess
that the provision of Chinese news would certainly be more difficult.

"Ach, vell, I shall contradict China," he agreed.

It will be readily believed that what with getting up his brief, pruning
the legends with which the Baron proposed to satisfy his wife and his
ambassador, and purchasing an outfit suitable to the roles of peer and
chieftain, this indefatigable gentleman passed three or four extremely
busy days.

"Ve most start before my dear mozzer-in-law does gom!" the Baron more
than once impressed upon him, so that there was no moment to be wasted.

Two days before their departure Mr. Bunker greeted his ally with a
peculiarly humorous smile.

"The pleasures of our visit to Hechnahoul are to be considerably
augmented," said he. "Tulliwuddle has only just made the discovery
that his ancestral castle is let; but his tenant, in the most handsome
spirit, invites us to be his guests so long as we are in Scotland. A
very hospitable letter, isn't it?"

He handed him a large envelope with a more than proportionately large
crest upon it, and drawing from this a