d in
the room. Then the children charged upstairs, fresh from the Park,
clamouring for food; and they fell upon Selwyn's neck, and disarranged
his scarf-pin, and begged for buttered toast and crumpets, and got what
they demanded before Nina's authority could prevent.

"I saw a rabbit at Silverside!" said Billy, "but do you know, Uncle
Philip, that hunting pack of ours is no good! Not one dog paid any
attention to the rabbit though Drina and I did our best--didn't we,
Drina?"

"You should have seen them," murmured Eileen, leaning close to whisper
to Selwyn; "the children had fits when the rabbit came hopping across
the road out of the Hither Woods. But the dogs all ran madly the other
way, and I thought Billy would die of mortification."

Nina stood up, waving a crumpet which she had just rescued from
Winthrop. "Hark!" she said, "there's the nursery curfew!--and not one
wretched infant bathed! Billy! March bathward, my son! Drina,
sweetheart, take command. Prune souffle for the obedient, dry bread for
rebels! Come, children!--don't let mother speak to you twice."

"Let's go down to the library," said Eileen to Selwyn--"you are dining
with us, of course. . . . What? Yes, indeed, you are. The idea of your
attempting to escape to some dreadful club and talk man-talk all the
evening when I have not begun to tell you what I did at Silverside!"

They left the nursery together and descended the stairs to the library.
Austin had just come in, and he looked up from his solitary cup of tea
as they entered:

"Hello, youngsters! What conspiracy are you up to now? I suppose you
sniffed the tea and have come to deprive me. By the way, Phil, I hear
that you've sprung the trap on those Siowitha people."

"Neergard has, I believe."

"Well, isn't it all one?"

"No, it is not!" retorted Selwyn so bluntly that Eileen turned from the
window at a sound in his voice which she had never before heard.

"Oh!" Austin stared over his suspended teacup, then drained it. "Trouble
with our friend Julius?" he inquired.

"No trouble. I merely severed my connection with him."

"Ah! When?"

"This morning."

"In that case," said Austin, laughing, "I've a job for you--"

"No, old fellow; and thank you with all my heart. I've half made up my
mind to live on my income for a while and take up that Chaosite matter
again--"

"And blow yourself to smithereens! Why spatter Nature thus?"

"No fear," said Selwyn, laughing. "And, if it promises a