Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-11-01

lQea OF SenQlng LnOSe roses looked. A0cluS
PIN was not a man was fond of-in fact, if I
had had to choose between him and a cock
roach as a companion for walking tour. the
cockroach would have had it by q short head
but there was no doubt that he had outlined
the right policy.
Rising next morning at 1915, legged it off
to that flower shop in Piccadilly. laid out
couple OF quid stable bouquet, sent it with
my card to Hill street. and then looked in at
the Drones
1t was about noon when I got back to the
fiat / went into the sitting room and tried
to adjust the mind to the coming interview.
I stood or fell by the roses. II they sweetened
the Slingsby, all would be we'll. If they failed
to sweeten her, Bertram was undoubtedly
for it.
The clock licked on, but she did not come.
After while the suspense began to get in
amongst a bit. To divert the mind,
fetched the old putter out of its bag and be-
gan to practice puts into glass.
1t while shaping for trick shot
that the doorbell went picked up the glass
and showed the putter behind the settee. I
Strengthened the collar, pulled down the waist
coat, and managed to fasten ON the face
sort of sad half smile which was welcoming
without being actually jovial. 1t looked all right
in the mirror, and I held it as the door opened.
mfr. Slingsby," announced Jeeves
And having spoken these words he closed the
door and left us together For quite time
there wasn't anything in the way of chit-chat.
The shock of expecting Mrs. Slingsby and find
ing myself confronted by something entirely
different seemed to have affected the vocal
cords.
Slingsby's Superb Soups was Roman-em-
peror-looking sort of bird, with keen, pene-
trating eyes and one of those jutting chins
The eyes seemed to me to be fixed on me in a
dashed unpleasant stare and, unless was
mistaken, he was grinding his teeth a trif1e.
However, exerted myself to play the host.
mr.. Snngsby?"
THAT is my name"
"Just got back from American"
IT landed this morning."
VERY glad to you"
you will not be long"
I took time off to do bit of gulping. I saw
now what had happened. This bloke had been
home, his wife, heard the story of the
accident, and had hastened round to slip 1t
across me. Evidently those roses had not
sweetened the female of the species. The only
thing to do seemed to be to take stab
at sweetening the male.
Have drink?" said.
mol"
"A cgarette?"
mol"
"A chair?"
mol"
went into the silence once more.
Don't grin at me, Sir!'
I shot glance at myself in the mirror and
saw what he meant The sad half smile had
stopped over bit. 1 adjusted it.
Now, sir" said the Superb Souper ito bust
ness. I think I need scarcely tell you why I
am here"
mo. OF course. Absolutely It's about that
little matter"
He gave a snort which nearly upset a vase
on the mantelpiece.
Little matter? You consider it little
matter, DIS you? Let me tell you, sir, that
when find that, during my absence from the
country, has been annoying my wife
with his opportunities I regard it as anything
but little matter"
'Eh?" I said. Your wife? There must
be some mistake"
There is You made it."
But don't know your wife. I've never
even met her"
BAIL Do you deny you sent her fiowers?"
felt the heart turn double somersault I
began to catch his drift.
"F1owers!" he proceeded. Roses sir
Enough of them to sink ship
His voice died away in a sort of gurgle and
/ saw that he was staring at something be-
hind me. I spun around. and there in the door
way, stood a female. One glance was enough
to tell me who she was. No woman could look
so like Lucius PIN who hadn't the misfortune
to be related to him. It was Beatrice
I saw all. She had left her home before the
flowers arrived; she had sneaked, unsweetened,
into the fiat while I was terrifying the system
at the DroneS; and here she was
Alexander" said the female.
Cool" said the Souper. Or it may have
been cool"
Whatever it was it was in the nature of a
battle cry. The Soupers worst suspicious had
obviously been confirmed. His eyes shone with
strange light. His chin pushed itself out an
other couple of inches. He clenched and un-
cIenched his fingers once or twice
Then, once more observing Cool" (or Cool
he sprang forward, tTod the golf bali had
been practicing with, and took one of the finesA
lifetime. For moment the air seemed to be
full of arms and legs, and then, with a thud