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disappeared about two years ago？〃 exclaimed the aunt with
rising excitement。
〃Oh no； not that；〃 said Vera； 〃but something quite
as important and just as mysterious … if anything； rather
more scandalous。〃
〃Not the Dublin … ？〃
Vera nodded。
〃The whole jolly lot of them。〃
〃In Betsy's cottage？ Incredible！〃
〃Of course Betsy hasn't an idea as to what they
are；〃 said Vera； 〃she just knows that they are something
valuable and that she must keep quiet about them。 I
found out quite by accident what they were and how they
came to be there。 You see； the people who had them were
at their wits' end to know where to stow them away for
safe keeping； and some one who was motoring through the
village was struck by the snug loneliness of the cottage
and thought it would be just the thing。 Mrs。 Lamper
arranged the matter with Betsy and smuggled the things
in。〃
〃Mrs。 Lamper？〃
〃Yes； she does a lot of district visiting； you
know。〃
〃I am quite aware that she takes soup and flannel
and improving literature to the poorer cottagers；〃 said
Mrs。 Bebberly Cumble； 〃but that is hardly the same sort
of thing as disposing of stolen goods； and she must have
known something about their history； anyone who reads the
papers； even casually； must have been aware of the theft；
and I should think the things were not hard to recognise。
Mrs。 Lamper has always had the reputation of being a very
conscientious woman。〃
〃Of course she was screening some one else；〃 said
Vera。 〃A remarkable feature of the affair is the
extraordinary number of quite respectable people who have
involved themselves in its meshes by trying to shield
others。 You would be really astonished if you knew some
of the names of the individuals mixed up in it； and I
don't suppose a tithe of them know who the original
culprits were； and now I've got you entangled in the mess
by letting you into the secret of the cottage。〃
〃You most certainly have not entangled me；〃 said
Mrs。 Bebberly Cumble indignantly。 〃I have no intention
of shielding anybody。 The police must know about it at
once； a theft is a theft； whoever is involved。 If
respectable people choose to turn themselves into
receivers and disposers of stolen goods； well； they've
ceased to be respectable； that's all。 I shall telephone
immediately … 〃
〃Oh； aunt；〃 said Vera reproachfully； 〃it would break
the poor Canon's heart if Cuthbert were to be involved in
a scandal of this sort。 You know it would。〃
〃Cuthbert involved！ How can you say such things
when you know how much we all think of him？〃
〃Of course I know you think a lot of him； and that
he's engaged to marry Beatrice； and that it will be a
frightfully good match； and that he's your ideal of what
a son…in…law ought to be。 All the same； it was
Cuthbert's idea to stow the things away in the cottage；
and it was his motor that brought them。 He was only
doing it to help his friend Pegginson； you know … the
Quaker man； who is always agitating for a smaller Navy。
I forget how he got involved in it。 I warned you that
there were lots of quite respectable people mixed up in
it； didn't I？ That's what I meant when I said it would
be impossible for old Betsy to leave the cottage； the
things take up a good bit of room； and she couldn't go
carrying them about with her other goods and chattels
without attracting notice。 Of course if she were to fall
ill and die it would be equally unfortunate。 Her mother
lived to be over ninety； she tells me； so with due care
and an absence of worry she ought to last for another
dozen years at least。 By that time perhaps some other
arrangements will have been made for disposing of the
wretched things。〃
〃I shall speak to Cuthbert about it … after the
wedding；〃 said Mrs。 Bebberly Cumble。
〃The wedding isn't till next year；〃 said Vera； in
recounting the story to her best girl friend； 〃and
meanwhile old Betsy is living rent free； with soup twice
a week and my aunt's doctor to see her whenever she has a
finger ache。〃
〃But how on earth did you get to know about it all？〃
asked her friend； in admiring wonder。
〃It was a mystery … 〃 said Vera。
〃Of course it was a mystery； a mystery that baffled
everybody。 What beats me is how you found out … 〃
〃Oh； about the jewels？ I invented that part；〃
explained Vera； 〃I mean the mystery was where old Betsy's
arrears of rent were to come from； and she would have
hated leaving that jolly quince tree。〃
THE FORBIDDEN BUZZARDS
〃IS matchmaking at all in your line？〃
Hugo Peterby asked the question with a certain
amount of personal interest。
〃I don't specialise in it；〃 said Clovis； 〃it's all
right while you're doing it； but the after…effects are
sometimes so disconcerting … the mute reproachful looks
of the people you've aided and abetted in matrimonial
experiments。 It's as bad as selling a man a horse with
half a dozen latent vices and watching him discover them
piecemeal in the course of the hunting season。 I suppose
you're thinking of the Coulterneb girl。 She's certainly
jolly； and quite all right as far as looks go； and I
believe a certain amount of money adheres to her。 What I
don't see is how you will ever manage to propose to her。
In all the time I've known her I don't remember her to
have stopped talking for three consecutive minutes。
You'll have to race her six times round the grass paddock
for a bet； and then blurt your proposal out before she's
got her wind back。 The paddock is laid up for hay； but
if you're really in love with her you won't let a
consideration of that sort stop you； especially as it's
not your hay。〃
〃I think I could manage the proposing part right
enough；〃 said Hugo； 〃if I could count on being left alone
with her for four or five hours。 The trouble is that I'm
not likely to get anything like that amount of grace。
That fellow Lanner is showing signs of interesting
himself in the same quarter。 He's quite heartbreakingly
rich and is rather a swell in his way； in fact； our
hostess is obviously a bit flattered at having him here。
If she gets wind of the fact that he's inclined to be
attracted by Betty Coulterneb she'll think it a splendid
match and throw them into each other's arms all day long；
and then where will my opportunities come in？ My one
anxiety is to keep him out of the girl's way as much as
possible； and if you could help me … 〃
〃If you want me to trot Lanner round the
countryside； inspecting alleged Roman remains and
studying local methods of bee culture and crop raising；
I'm afraid I can't oblige you；〃 said Clovis。 〃You see；
he's taken something like an aversion to me since the
other night in the smoking…room。〃
〃What happened in the smoking…room？〃
〃He trotted out some well…worn chestnut as the
latest thing in good stories； and I remarked； quite
innocently； that I never could remember whether it was
George II。 or James II。 who was so fond of that
particular story； and now he regards me with politely…
draped dislike。 I'll do my best for you； if the
opportunity arises； but it will have to be in a
roundabout； impersonal manner。〃
* * * *
〃It's so nice having Mr。 Lanner here；〃 confided Mrs。
Olston to Clovis the next afternoon； 〃he's always been
engaged when I've asked him before。 Such a nice man； he
really ought to be married to some nice girl。 Between
you and me； I have an idea that he came down here for a
certain reason。〃
〃I've had much the same idea；〃 said Clovis； lowering
his voice； 〃in fact； I'm almost certain of it。〃
〃You mean he's attracted by … 〃 began Mrs。 Olston
eagerly。
〃I mean he's here for what he can get；〃 said Clovis。
〃For what he can GET？〃 said the hostess with a touch
of indignation in her voice； 〃what do you mean？ He's a
very rich man。 What should he want to get here？〃
〃He has one ruling passion；〃 said Clovis； 〃and
there's something he can get here that is not to be had
for love nor for money anywhere else in the country； as
far as I know。〃
〃But what？ Whatever do you mean？ What is his
ruling passion？〃
〃Egg…collecting；〃 said Clovis。 〃He has agents all
over the world getting rare eggs for him； and his
collection is one of the finest in Europe； but his great
ambition is to collect his treasures personally。 He
stops at no expense nor trouble to achieve that end。〃
〃Good heavens！ The buzzards； the rough…legged
buzzards！〃 exclaimed Mrs。 Olston； 〃you don't think he's
going to raid their nest？〃
〃What do you think yourself？〃 asked Clovis； 〃the
only pair of rough…legged buzzards known to breed in this
country are nesting in your woods。 Very few people know
about them； but as