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small but imposing caravan created when she arrived at
the hall door。 The entire garden…party flocked up to
gape。 My sister was rather glad to slip down from her
camel； and the groom was thankful to scramble down from
his。 Then young Billy Doulton； of the Dragoon Guards；
who has been a lot at Aden and thinks he knows camel…
language backwards； thought he would show off by making
the beasts kneel down in orthodox fashion。 Unfortunately
camel words…of…command are not the same all the world
over； these were magnificent Turkestan camels； accustomed
to stride up the stony terraces of mountain passes； and
when Doulton shouted at them they went side by side up
the front steps； into the entrance hall； and up the grand
staircase。 The German governess met them just at the
turn of the corridor。 The Ninevehs nursed her with
devoted attention for weeks； and when I last heard from
them she was well enough to go about her duties again；
but the doctor says she will always suffer from Hagenbeck
heart。〃
Amblecope got up from his chair and moved to another
part of the room。 Treddleford reopened his book and
betook himself once more across
The dragon…green； the luminous； the dark； the
serpent…haunted sea。
For a blessed half…hour he disported himself in
imagination by the 〃gay Aleppo…Gate；〃 and listened to the
bird…voiced singing…man。 Then the world of to…day called
him back； a page summoned him to speak with a friend on
the telephone。
As Treddleford was about to pass out of the room he
encountered Amblecope； also passing out； on his way to
the billiard…room； where； perchance； some luckless wight
might be secured and held fast to listen to the number of
his attendances at the Grand Prix； with subsequent
remarks on Newmarket and the Cambridgeshire。 Amblecope
made as if to pass out first； but a new…born pride was
surging in Treddleford's breast and he waved him back。
〃I believe I take precedence；〃 he said coldly； 〃you
are merely the club Bore； I am the club Liar。〃
THE ELK
TERESA； Mrs。 Thropplestance； was the richest and
most intractable old woman in the county of Woldshire。
In her dealings with the world in general her manner
suggested a blend between a Mistress of the Robes and a
Master of Foxhounds； with the vocabulary of both。 In her
domestic circle she comported herself in the arbitrary
style that one attributes； probably without the least
justification； to an American political Boss in the bosom
of his caucus。 The late Theodore Thropplestance had left
her； some thirty…five years ago； in absolute possession
of a considerable fortune； a large landed property； and a
gallery full of valuable pictures。 In those intervening
years she had outlived her son and quarrelled with her
elder grandson； who had married without her consent or
approval。 Bertie Thropplestance； her younger grandson；
was the heir…designate to her property； and as such he
was a centre of interest and concern to some half…hundred
ambitious mothers with daughters of marriageable age。
Bertie was an amiable； easy…going young man； who was
quite ready to marry anyone who was favourably
recommended to his notice； but he was not going to waste
his time in falling in love with anyone who would come
under his grandmother's veto。 The favourable
recommendation would have to come from Mrs。
Thropplestance。
Teresa's house…parties were always rounded off with
a plentiful garnishing of presentable young women and
alert； attendant mothers； but the old lady was
emphatically discouraging whenever any one of her girl
guests became at all likely to outbid the others as a
possible granddaughter…in…law。 It was the inheritance of
her fortune and estate that was in question； and she was
evidently disposed to exercise and enjoy her powers of
selection and rejection to the utmost。 Bertie's
preferences did not greatly matter； he was of the sort
who can be stolidly happy with any kind of wife； he had
cheerfully put up with his grandmother all his life； so
was not likely to fret and fume over anything that might
befall him in the way of a helpmate。
The party that gathered under Teresa's roof in
Christmas week of the year nineteen…hundred…and…something
was of smaller proportions than usual； and Mrs。 Yonelet；
who formed one of the party； was inclined to deduce
hopeful augury from this circumstance。 Dora Yonelet and
Bertie were so obviously made for one another； she
confided to the vicar's wife； and if the old lady were
accustomed to seeing them about a lot together she might
adopt the view that they would make a suitable married
couple。
〃People soon get used to an idea if it is dangled
constantly before their eyes；〃 said Mrs。 Yonelet
hopefully； 〃and the more often Teresa sees those young
people together； happy in each other's company； the more
she will get to take a kindly interest in Dora as a
possible and desirable wife for Bertie。〃
〃My dear；〃 said the vicar's wife resignedly； 〃my own
Sybil was thrown together with Bertie under the most
romantic circumstances … I'll tell you about it some day
… but it made no impression whatever on Teresa； she put
her foot down in the most uncompromising fashion； and
Sybil married an Indian civilian。〃
〃Quite right of her；〃 said Mrs。 Yonelet with vague
approval； 〃it's what any girl of spirit would have done。
Still； that was a year or two ago； I believe； Bertie is
older now； and so is Teresa。 Naturally she must be
anxious to see him settled。〃
The vicar's wife reflected that Teresa seemed to be
the one person who showed no immediate anxiety to supply
Bertie with a wife； but she kept the thought to herself。
Mrs。 Yonelet was a woman of resourceful energy and
generalship； she involved the other members of the house…
party； the deadweight； so to speak； in all manner of
exercises and occupations that segregated them from
Bertie and Dora； who were left to their own devisings …
that is to say； to Dora's devisings and Bertie's
accommodating acquiescence。 Dora helped in the Christmas
decorations of the parish church； and Bertie helped her
to help。 Together they fed the swans； till the birds
went on a dyspepsia…strike； together they played
billiards； together they photographed the village
almshouses； and； at a respectful distance； the tame elk
that browsed in solitary aloofness in the park。 It was
〃tame〃 in the sense that it had long ago discarded the
least vestige of fear of the human race； nothing in its
record encouraged its human neighbours to feel a
reciprocal confidence。
Whatever sport or exercise or occupation Bertie and
Dora indulged in together was unfailingly chronicled and
advertised by Mrs。 Yonelet for the due enlightenment of
Bertie's grandmother。
〃Those two inseparables have just come in from a
bicycle ride；〃 she would announce； 〃quite a picture they
make； so fresh and glowing after their spin。〃
〃A picture needing words；〃 would be Teresa's private
comment； and as far as Bertie was concerned she was
determined that the words should remain unspoken。
On the afternoon after Christmas Day Mrs。 Yonelet
dashed into the drawing…room； where her hostess was
sitting amid a circle of guests and teacups and muffin…
dishes。 Fate had placed what seemed like a trump…card in
the hands of the patiently…manoeuvring mother。 With eyes
blazing with excitement and a voice heavily escorted with
exclamation marks she made a dramatic announcement。
〃Bertie has saved Dora from the elk！〃
In swift； excited sentences； broken with maternal
emotion； she gave supplementary information as to how the
treacherous animal had ambushed Dora as she was hunting
for a strayed golf ball； and how Bertie had dashed to her
rescue with a stable fork and driven the beast off in the
nick of time。
〃It was touch and go！ She threw her niblick at it；
but that didn't stop it。 In another moment she would
have been crushed beneath its hoofs；〃 panted Mrs。
Yonelet。
〃The animal is not safe；〃 said Teresa； handing her
agitated guest a cup of tea。 〃I forget if you take
sugar。 I suppose the solitary life it leads has soured
its temper。 There are muffins in the grate。 It's not my
fault； I've tried to get it a mate for ever so long。 You
don't know of anyone with a lady elk for sale or
exchange； do you？〃 she asked the company generally。
But Mrs。 Yonelet was in no humour to listen to talk
of elk marriages。 The mating of two human beings was the
subject uppermost in her mind； and the opportunity for
advancing her pet project was too valuable to be
neglected。
〃Teresa；〃 she exclaimed impressively； 〃after those
two young people have been thrown together so
dramatically； nothing can b