m
pleasantly.  "But to-morrow morning first pack my bag and then wire to
Wroxeter.  I shall be going down there in the afternoon with two friends
for a couple of days' shooting."

"Very well, sir," replied the old fellow in the antique dress suit and
narrow tie.  He half turned to walk out, but hesitated and fidgeted;
then, a moment later, he turned back and stood before his master.

"Well, Parsons, anything more?"  Chisholm asked.  He was used to the old
fellow's confidences and eccentricities, for more than once since he had
come down from college his ancient retainer had given him words of sound
advice, his half-century of service allowing him such licence as very
few servants possessed.

"There's one little matter I wanted to speak to you about, Master
Dudley.  I'm an old man, and a pretty blunt 'un at times, that you
know."

"Yes," laughed Dudley.  "You can make very caustic remarks sometimes,
Parsons.  Well, who's been offending you now?"

"No one, sir," he answered gravely.  "It's about something that concerns
yourself, Master Dudley."

His master glanced up at him quickly, not without some surprise, saying:

"Well, fire away, Parsons.  Out with it.  What have I done wrong this
time?"

"That woman was here this afternoon!" he blurted out.

"What woman?" inquired his master, looking at him seriously.

"Her ladyship."

"Well, and what of that?  She called at my invitation.  I'm sorry I was
not in."

"And I'm very glad I had the satisfaction of sending that woman away,"
declared the ancient retainer bluntly.

"Why, Parsons?  Surely it's hardly the proper thing to speak of a lady
as `that woman'?"

"Master.  Dudley," said the old man, "you'll forgive me for speaking
plain, won't you?  It would, I know, be called presumption in other
houses for a servant to speak like this to his master, but you are
thirty-three now, and for those thirty-three years I've advised you,
just as I would my own son."

"I know, Parsons, I know.  My father trusted you implicitly, just as I
have done.  Speak quite plainly.  I'm never o