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small girls； 〃but it had a beautiful ending。〃
〃It is the most beautiful story that I ever heard；〃
said the bigger of the small girls； with immense
decision。
〃It is the ONLY beautiful story I have ever heard；〃
said Cyril。
A dissentient opinion came from the aunt。
〃A most improper story to tell to young children！
You have undermined the effect of years of careful
teaching。〃
〃At any rate；〃 said the bachelor； collecting his
belongings preparatory to leaving the carriage； 〃I kept
them quiet for ten minutes； which was more than you were
able to do。〃
〃Unhappy woman！〃 he observed to himself as he walked
down the platform of Templecombe station； 〃for the next
six months or so those children will assail her in public
with demands for an improper story！〃
A DEFENSIVE DIAMOND
TREDDLEFORD sat in an easeful arm…chair in front of
a slumberous fire； with a volume of verse in his hand and
the comfortable consciousness that outside the club
windows the rain was dripping and pattering with
persistent purpose。 A chill； wet October afternoon was
merging into a bleak； wet October evening； and the club
smoking…room seemed warmer and cosier by contrast。 It
was an afternoon on which to be wafted away from one's
climatic surroundings； and 〃The Golden journey to
Samarkand〃 promised to bear Treddleford well and bravely
into other lands and under other skies。 He had already
migrated from London the rain…swept to Bagdad the
Beautiful； and stood by the Sun Gate 〃in the olden time〃
when an icy breath of imminent annoyance seemed to creep
between the book and himself。 Amblecope； the man with
the restless； prominent eyes and the mouth ready
mobilised for conversational openings； had planted
himself in a neighbouring arm…chair。 For a twelvemonth
and some odd weeks Treddleford had skilfully avoided
making the acquaintance of his voluble fellow…clubman； he
had marvellously escaped from the infliction of his
relentless record of tedious personal achievements； or
alleged achievements； on golf links； turf； and gaming
table； by flood and field and covert…side。 Now his
season of immunity was coming to an end。 There was no
escape； in another moment he would be numbered among
those who knew Amblecope to speak to … or rather； to
suffer being spoken to。
The intruder was armed with a copy of COUNTRY LIFE；
not for purposes of reading； but as an aid to
conversational ice…breaking。
〃Rather a good portrait of Throstlewing；〃 he
remarked explosively； turning his large challenging eyes
on Treddleford； 〃somehow it reminds me very much of
Yellowstep； who was supposed to be such a good thing for
the Grand Prix in 1903。 Curious race that was； I suppose
I've seen every race for the Grand Prix for the last … 〃
〃Be kind enough never to mention the Grand Prix in
my hearing；〃 said Treddleford desperately； 〃it awakens
acutely distressing memories。 I can't explain why
without going into a long and complicated story。〃
〃Oh； certainly； certainly；〃 said Amblecope hastily；
long and complicated stories that were not told by
himself were abominable in his eyes。 He turned the pages
of COUNTRY LIFE and became spuriously interested in the
picture of a Mongolian pheasant。
〃Not a bad representation of the Mongolian variety；〃
he exclaimed； holding it up for his neighbour's
inspection。 〃They do very well in some covers。 Take
some stopping too； once they're fairly on the wing。 I
suppose the biggest bag I ever made in two successive
days … 〃
〃My aunt； who owns the greater part of
Lincolnshire；〃 broke in Treddleford； with dramatic
abruptness； 〃possesses perhaps the most remarkable record
in the way of a pheasant bag that has ever been achieved。
She is seventy…five and can't hit a thing； but she always
goes out with the guns。 When I say she can't hit a
thing； I don't mean to say that she doesn't occasionally
endanger the lives of her fellow…guns； because that
wouldn't be true。 In fact； the chief Government Whip
won't allow Ministerial M。P。's to go out with her； 'We
don't want to incur by…elections needlessly；' he quite
reasonably observed。 Well； the other day she winged a
pheasant； and brought it to earth with a feather or two
knocked out of it； it was a runner； and my aunt saw
herself in danger of being done out of about the only
bird she'd hit during the present reign。 Of course she
wasn't going to stand that； she followed it through
bracken and brushwood； and when it took to the open
country and started across a ploughed field she jumped on
to the shooting pony and went after it。 The chase was a
long one； and when my aunt at last ran the bird to a
standstill she was nearer home than she was to the
shooting party； she had left that some five miles behind
her。〃
〃Rather a long run for a wounded pheasant；〃 snapped
Amblecope。
〃The story rests on my aunt's authority；〃 said
Treddleford coldly； 〃and she is local vice…president of
the Young Women's Christian Association。 She trotted
three miles or so to her home； and it was not till the
middle of the afternoon that it was discovered that the
lunch for the entire shooting party was in a pannier
attached to the pony's saddle。 Anyway； she got her
bird。〃
〃Some birds； of course； take a lot of killing；〃 said
Amblecope； 〃so do some fish。 I remember once I was
fishing in the Exe； lovely trout stream； lots of fish；
though they don't run to any great size … 〃
〃One of them did；〃 announced Treddleford； with
emphasis。 〃My uncle； the Bishop of Southmolton； came
across a giant trout in a pool just off the main stream
of the Exe near Ugworthy； he tried it with every kind of
fly and worm every day for three weeks without an atom of
success； and then Fate intervened on his behalf。 There
was a low stone bridge just over this pool； and on the
last day of his fishing holiday a motor van ran violently
into the parapet and turned completely over； no one was
hurt； but part of the parapet was knocked away； and the
entire load that the van was carrying was pitched over
and fell a little way into the pool。 In a couple of
minutes the giant trout was flapping and twisting on bare
mud at the bottom of a waterless pool； and my uncle was
able to walk down to him and fold him to his breast。 The
van…load consisted of blotting…paper； and every drop of
water in that pool had been sucked up into the mass of
spilt cargo。〃
There was silence for nearly half a minute in the
smoking…room； and Treddleford began to let his mind steal
back towards the golden road that led to Samarkand。
Amblecope； however； rallied； and remarked in a rather
tired and dispirited voice：
〃Talking of motor accidents； the narrowest squeak I
ever had was the other day； motoring with old Tommy Yarby
in North Wales。 Awfully good sort； old Yarby； thorough
good sportsman； and the best … 〃
〃It was in North Wales；〃 said Treddleford； 〃that my
sister met with her sensational carriage accident last
year。 She was on her way to a garden…party at Lady
Nineveh's； about the only garden…party that ever comes to
pass in those parts in the course of the year； and
therefore a thing that she would have been very sorry to
miss。 She was driving a young horse that she'd only
bought a week or two previously； warranted to be
perfectly steady with motor traffic； bicycles； and other
common objects of the roadside。 The animal lived up to
its reputation； and passed the most explosive of motor…
bikes with an indifference that almost amounted to
apathy。 However； I suppose we all draw the line
somewhere； and this particular cob drew it at travelling
wild beast shows。 Of course my sister didn't know that；
but she knew it very distinctly when she turned a sharp
corner and found herself in a mixed company of camels；
piebald horses； and canary…coloured vans。 The dogcart
was overturned in a ditch and kicked to splinters； and
the cob went home across country。 Neither my sister nor
the groom was hurt； but the problem of how to get to the
Nineveh garden…party； some three miles distant； seemed
rather difficult to solve； once there； of course； my
sister would easily find some one to drive her home。 'I
suppose you wouldn't care for the loan of a couple of my
camels？' the showman suggested； in humorous sympathy。 '
I would；' said my sister； who had ridden camel…back in
Egypt； and she overruled the objections of the groom； who
hadn't。 She picked out two of the most presentable…
looking of the beasts and had them dusted and made as
tidy as was possible at short notice； and set out for the
Nineveh mansion。 You may imagine the sensation that her
small but imposing caravan created when she arrived at
the hall door。 The