CHAPTER XLI. SPEECHIFYING.

On the Monday, a plowboy from Vale Regis arrived at Monksmoor.

In respect of himself, he was a person beneath notice. In respect of his errand, he was sufficiently important to cast a gloom over the household. The faithless Mirabel had broken his engagement, and the plowboy was the herald of misfortune who brought his apology. To his great disappointment (he wrote) he was detained by the affairs of his parish. He could only trust to Mr. Wyvil's indulgence to excuse him, and to communicate his sincere sense of regret (on scented note paper) to the ladies.

Everybody believed in the affairs of the parish--with the exception of Francine. "Mr. Mirabel has made the best excuse he could think of for shortening his visit; and I don't wonder at it," she said, looking significantly at Emily.

Emily was playing with one of the dogs; exercising him in the tricks which he had learned. She balanced a morsel of sugar on his nose--and had no attention to spare for Francine.

Cecilia, as the mistress of the house, felt it her duty to interfere. "That is a strange remark to make," she answered. "Do you mean to say that we have driven Mr. Mirabel away from us?"

"I accuse nobody," Francine began with spiteful candor.

"Now she's going to accuse everybody!" Emily interposed, addressing herself facetiously to the dog.

"But when girls are bent on fascinating men, whether they like it or not," Francine proceeded, "men have only one alternative--they must keep out of the way." She looked again at Emily, more pointedly than ever. What are the answers to this following set of questions: 1. What was Vale Regis errand?
2. of what?
3. what did he bring?
4. when did he arrive?
5. where did he arrive?
6. who was he bringing an apology to?
7. What had Mirabel done?
8. who could he trust?
9. to do what?
10. and what?
11. to who?
12. Who was Emily playing with?
13. She had no time for who?
14. why?
15. Who was the mistress of the house?
16. Who was Emily speaking to?
17. Was Francine spiteful?
18. What was Mr. Mirabels excuse for?
19. was it a good one?
20. Did people believe the affairs of the parrish?
Answer: 1. the herald
2. of misfortune
3. an apology
4. Monday
5. Monksmoor.
6. Mirabels partner
7. broken his engagement,
8. Mr. Wyvil'
9. indulgence to excuse him
10. to communicate his sincere sense of regret
11. the ladies
12. a dog
13. Francine.
14. she was teaching the dogs tricks
15. Cecilia
16. the dog
17. yes
18. shortening his visit
19. yes
20. yes

CHAPTER XI

WITH DEJAH THORIS

As we reached the open the two female guards who had been detailed to watch over Dejah Thoris hurried up and made as though to assume custody of her once more. The poor child shrank against me and I felt her two little hands fold tightly over my arm. Waving the women away, I informed them that Sola would attend the captive hereafter, and I further warned Sarkoja that any more of her cruel attentions bestowed upon Dejah Thoris would result in Sarkoja's sudden and painful demise.

My threat was unfortunate and resulted in more harm than good to Dejah Thoris, for, as I learned later, men do not kill women upon Mars, nor women, men. So Sarkoja merely gave us an ugly look and departed to hatch up deviltries against us.

I soon found Sola and explained to her that I wished her to guard Dejah Thoris as she had guarded me; that I wished her to find other quarters where they would not be molested by Sarkoja, and I finally informed her that I myself would take up my quarters among the men.

Sola glanced at the accouterments which were carried in my hand and slung across my shoulder.

"You are a great chieftain now, John Carter," she said, "and I must do your bidding, though indeed I am glad to do it under any circumstances. The man whose metal you carry was young, but he was a great warrior, and had by his promotions and kills won his way close to the rank of Tars Tarkas, who, as you know, is second to Lorquas Ptomel only. You are eleventh, there are but ten chieftains in this community who rank you in prowess." What are the answers to this following set of questions: 1. Who was asked to guard someone?
2. By whom?
3. Who was she to watch over?
4. Did he ask her to do anything else?
5. What?
6. And to avoid whom?
7. How many people were guarding when they got to the opening?
8. Males?
9. How did the young one react?
10. Who did he threaten?
11. Was it effective?
12. Why not?
13. Do males and females murder each other?
14. What section of Earth are they on?
15. Is John a slave?
16. What is he then?
17. Who serves him?
18. Does this make her unhappy?
19. What is the 2nd in command called?
20. What ranking is John?
Answer: 1. Sola
2. John Carter
3. Dejah Thoris
4. Yes
5. To find other quarters
6. Sarkoja
7. Two
8. No
9. She shrank
10. Sarkoja
11. No
12. Becaus Sarkoja departed to hatch up deviltries against her
13. No
14. Mars
15. No
16. A chieftain
17. Sola
18. Yes
19. Tars Tarkas
20. Eleventh

CHAPTER V.

GKATITUDE.

"There were only two of you, then, in the last carriage?" Guy asked with deep interest, the very next morning, as Cyril, none the worse for his long imprisonment, sat quietly in their joint chambers at Staple Inn, recounting the previous day's adventures.

"Yes. Only two of us. It was awfully fortunate. And the carriage that was smashed had nobody at all, except in the first compartment, which escaped being buried. So there were no lives lost, by a miracle, you may say. But several of the people in the front part of the train got terribly shaken."

"And you and the other man were shut up in the tunnel there for fifteen hours at a stretch?" Guy went on reflectively.

"At least fifteen hours," Cyril echoed, without attempting to correct the slight error of sex, for no man, he thought, is bound to criminate himself, even in a flirtation. "It was two in the morning before they dug us quite out. And my companion by that time was more dead than alive, I can tell you, with watching and terror."

"Was he, poor fellow?" Guy murmured, with a sympathetic face; for Cyril had always alluded casually to his fellow-traveller in such general terms that Guy was as yet unaware there was a lady in the case. "And is he all right again now, do you know? Have you heard anything more about him?"

But before Cyril could answer there came a knock at the door, and the next moment Mr. Montague Nevitt, without his violin, entered the room in some haste, all agog with excitement. His face was eager and his manner cordial. It was clear he was full of some important tidings. What are the answers to this following set of questions: 1. Where was the joint chambers?
2. Who was there?
3. What had happened the day before?
4. what kind?
5. was there an accident?
6. Between what?
7. Who was in the carriage?
8. who was one?
9. Did the person in the other vehicle get hurt?
10. Was anyone killed?
Answer:
1. Staple Inn
2. Guy and Cyril
3. adventures
4. shut up in the tunnel
5. Yes
6. Carriage and train
7. two of us
8. Cyril
9. yes
10. no