Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-12-15

to say you can't hiss a word that hasn't an in
it. The way he pushed out that "You!" sound
ed like an angry cobra.
Come in here" he said Juggling me into
the room I'VE don't want to wake the whole
house. Now" he said, depositing me the
carpet and closing the door, and doing bit of
eyebrow work, kindly inform me what is this
latest manifestation of insanity?"
1t seemed to me that light and CHEEKY
laugh might help. So had pop at one.
Don't gibber!' said my genial host. And
I'm bound to admit that the light and CHEEKY
hadn't come out quite as I'd intended.
pulled myself together with a strong effort
lawfully sorry about all this I said in
hearty sort of voice. THE fact is, thought
you were Tuppy"
Kindly refrain from in1icting your idiotic
slang on me. What do you mean by the ab-
jective tuppy?"
1T isn't so much an adjective, don't you
know. More of a noun, should think, if you
examine it squarely. What mean to say is
thought you were your nephew
You thought was my nephew? Why
should be my nephew"
What I'm driving at is, thought this was
his ROOM"
MY nephew and changed rooms. have
. great dislike for sleeping on an upper floor.
I am nervous about fire."
TOR the first time since this interview had
started braced up a tride I lost that
sense of being toad under the harrow which
had been cramping my style up till now.
even went so far as to eye this poltroon with
good deal of contempt and loathing. Just be-
cause he had this craven fear of fire and this
selfish preference for letting Tuppy be cooked
instead of himself, should the emergency occur,
my nicely reasoned plans had gone up the spout.
I gave him a look and think may even have
Snorted bit.
II should have thought that your man-serv-
ant would have informed you" said Sir Roder-
ick that We contemplated making this change.
met him shortly before luncheon and told him
to tell you"
You told Jeeves that you were going to sleep
I'm this room?" gaSped
Il did. was aware that you and my nephew
were terms Of intimacy, and wished TO
spare myself the possibility Of visit from you.
/ confess that it never occurred to me that
such a visit to be anticipated at o'clock
in the morning. What do you mean" he
barked, suddenly noting up, "by prowlng about
the house at this hour? And what is that thing
in your hand?"
looked down, and found that I was still
grasping the stick. give you my honest word
that, what with the maelStrom OF emotions into
which his revelation about Jeeves had cast me,
the discovery came as an absolute surprise.
''This?" said. "Oh, yes"
''What do you mean, oh yes? What is it?"
L
some weeks ago. perfectly peaceful and inoffen-
Sive, after dinner at the Drones, smoking a
thoughtful cigarette and"
I broke off. The man wasn't listening. He
was goggling in a rapt sort Of way at the end
of the bed, from which there had now begun
to drip on to the carpet a series of drops.
Good heavens!"
thoughtful cigarette and chatting pleas
antly of this and that"
1 broke off again. He had lifted the sheets
and was gazing at the corpse Of the hot-water
bottle.
Did you do ths?" he said in low, strangled
sort of voice.
'Er-yes. AS a matter of fact yes. I was
just going to tell you-"
And your aunt tried to persuade me that
you were not insane"
"Im not. Absolutely not. If you'll just let
me explain"
II will do nothing of the kind"
"It all began"
"Sience!"
He did some deep-breathing exercises.
MY bed is drenched!"
"The way it all began"
BE quiet" He heaved somewhat for a while
'You idiot" he said kindly inform me which
bedroom you are supposed to be occupying"
Its on the floor above. The clock room"
THANK you. I will find it,"
"Eh?"
He gave me the eyebrow.
II PROPOSE" he said, Ito PASS the remainder
of the night in your room, where, presume
there is a bed in a condition to be slept in
You may bestow yourself comfortably you
can here. will wish you good night"
Well we Woosters old campaigners. We
can take the rough with the smooth. But to
say that 1 liked the prospect now before me
would be paltering with the truth. One glance
at the bed told me that any idea of sleeping
there out. goldfish could have done it,
but not Bertram. After a bit OF look around,