The midland journal., 1915-12-10
CHAPTER TX.
Fair Warning.

Fair Warning.
1t was much more than a map OF
the metropolis that Toye carried in his
able head. He knew the right places
for the right things. He gazed criti-
| cally at his boots. He was not SO
dead sure that he had struck the only
man for boots. There had been a
young fellow aboard the Kaiser Fritz
quite little bit of military blood,
who had come ashore in pair OF
cloth tops that had rather unsettled
Mr.. Toye's mind Just on that one
point.
Captain Aylmer had said he would
like to have Toye see his club any
time he was passing and cared to look
in for lunch. He had said so as
though he would like 1t great deal,
and suddenly Toye had mind to take
him at his word right now. The idea
began with those boots with cloth tops.
but that was not all there was to it;
there was something else that had
been at the back of Toye's mind all
morning. and now took charge in
front.
Aylmer had talked some about Job
in the war office that enabled him to
lunch daily at the Rag: but what his
job had been aboard q German steam
er Toye did not know and was not the
man to inquire. 1t was no business OF
his, anyway. Reference to card,
traded for his own in Southampton
Water. and duly died In his cigarette
case, reminded him OF the Rags prop
er style and title. And there he was
eventually entertained to q sound.
workmanlike. rather expeditions meal.
| Say. did you see the cemetery at
Genoa?" suddenly inquired the Wis
itor on their way back through the
hall. A martial bust had been ad-
mired extravagantly before the ques-
tion.
Never want to see it again, or Ge-
noa either" said Captain Aylmer.
"The smoking-room's this way"
Did you say you were there two
days?" Toye was cutting his cigar as
though it were corn.
Two whole days. and we'd had a
night in the Bay Of Naples just be-
fore"
rs that so? only came aboard at
Genoa. guess was wise,' added
Toye, as though he was thinking of
something else. There was no sort
of feeling in his voice. but he was
sucking his left thumb.
7 say, you We cut yogrseIf!a
Il guess it's nothing. Knife too
sharp; please don't worry, Captain
Aylmer. / was going to say only got
on at Genoa, and they couldn't give
me room to myself. I had to go in
with Cazalet; that's how I saw so
much of him"
1t was Toye's third and separate in
dependent attempt to introduce the
name and fame of Cazalet as a natural
topic of conversation. Twice his host
had listened with adamantine polite
ness; this time he was enjoying quite
the second-best liqueur brandy to be
had at the Rag; and he leaned back
In his chair.
you were rather impressed with
him. weren't your" said Captain Ayl-
mer. well. frankly. I wasn't, but it
may have been my fault"
Il was only going to ask you one
thing about Mr.. Cazalet." Toye said
land guess I've a reason for asking,
though there's no time to state 1t now.
What did you think of him. Captain
Aylmer. on the wholef"
"Ah, there you have me. ON the
whole is just the diflculty," said Ayl-
mer, answering the straight question
readily enough. Il thought he was
very good chap as far as Naples, but
after Genoa he was another being. rye
sometimes wondered what happened in
his three or four days asnore."
three or four. did you say?"
And at the last moment TOye would
have played Wedding Guest to Ayl-
mer's Ancient Mariner.
''Yes; you see. he knew these Ger
man boats waste a couple of days at
Genoa. az he landed at Naples and did