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〃But the case doesn't come on till Wednesday；〃 says the guv'nor。
〃How do you know it's going to be fourteen days？〃
〃Miss Bulstrode；〃 she says； 〃she's seen the magistrate。 He says he
always gives fourteen days in cases of unprovoked assault。〃
〃But it wasn't unprovoked；〃 says the guv'nor。 〃The other man began
it by knocking off his hat。 It was self…defence。〃
〃She put that to him；〃 she says； 〃and he agreed that that would
alter his view of the case。 But； you see；〃 she continues； 〃we can't
find the other man。 He isn't likely to come forward of his own
accord。〃
〃The girl must know；〃 says the guv'nor〃this girl he picks up in
St。 James's Park； and goes dancing with。 The man must have been
some friend of hers。〃
〃But we can't find her either；〃 she says。 〃He doesn't even know her
namehe can't remember it。〃
〃You will do it； won't you？〃 she says。
〃Do what？〃 says the guv'nor again。
〃The fourteen days；〃 she says。
〃But I thought you said he was going to do it himself？〃 he says。
〃But he mustn't；〃 she says。 〃Miss Bulstrode is coming round to see
you。 Think of it！ Think of the headlines in the papers；〃 she says。
〃Think of the Fabian Society。 Think of the Suffrage cause。 We
mustn't let him。〃
〃What about me？〃 says the guv'nor。 〃Doesn't anybody care for me？〃
〃You don't matter；〃 she says。 〃Besides；〃 she says； 〃with your
influence you'll be able to keep it out of the papers。 If it comes
out that it was Mr。 Parable； nothing on earth will be able to。〃
The guv'nor was almost as much excited by this time as she was。
〃I'll see the Fabian Society and the Women's Vote and the Home for
Lost Cats at Battersea； and all the rest of the blessed bag of
tricks〃
I'd been thinking to myself； and had just worked it out。
〃What's he want to take his cook down with him for？〃 I says。
〃To cook for him；〃 says the guv'nor。 〃What d'you generally want a
cook for？〃
〃Rats！〃 I says。 〃Does he usually take his cook with him？〃
〃No；〃 answered Miss Dorton。 〃Now I come to think of it； he has
always hitherto put up with Mrs。 Meadows。〃
〃You will find the lady down at Fingest；〃 I says； 〃sitting opposite
him and enjoying a recherche dinner for two。〃
The guv'nor slaps me on the back； and lifts Miss Dorton out of her
chair。
〃You get on back；〃 he says； 〃and telephone to Miss Bulstrode。 I'll
be round at half…past twelve。〃
Miss Dorton went out in a dazed sort of condition； and the guv'nor
gives me a sovereign； and tells me I can have the rest of the day to
myself。
Mr。 Condor； Junior； considers that what happened subsequently goes
to prove that he was right more than it proves that he was wrong。
Mr。 Condor； Junior； also promised to send us a photograph of himself
for reproduction； but； unfortunately； up to the time of going to
press it had not arrived。
* * *
From Mrs。 Meadows； widow of the late Corporal John Meadows； V。C。；
Turberville； Bucks； the following further particulars were obtained
by our local representative：
I have done for Mr。 Parable now for some years past； my cottage
being only a mile off； which makes it easy for me to look after him。
Mr。 Parable likes the place to be always ready so that he can drop
in when he chooses； he sometimes giving me warning and sometimes
not。 It was about the end of last monthon a Friday； if I remember
rightlythat he suddenly turned up。
As a rule； he walks from Henley station； but on this occasion he
arrived in a fly； he having a young woman with him； and she having a
baghis cook； as he explained to me。 As a rule； I do everything
for Mr。 Parable； sleeping in the cottage when he is there； but to
tell the truth； I was glad to see her。 I never was much of a cook
myself； as my poor dead husband has remarked on more than one
occasion； and I don't pretend to be。 Mr。 Parable added； apologetic
like； that he had been suffering lately from indigestion。
〃I am only too pleased to see her；〃 I says。 〃There are the two beds
in my room； and we shan't quarrel。〃 She was quite a sensible young
woman； as I had judged from the first look at her； though suffering
at the time from a cold。 She hires a bicycle from Emma Tidd； who
only uses it on a Sunday； and； taking a market basket； off she
starts for Henley； Mr。 Parable saying he would go with her to show
her the way。
They were gone a goodish time； which； seeing it's eight miles；
didn't so much surprise me； and when they got back we all three had
dinner together； Mr。 Parable arguing that it made for what he called
〃labour saving。〃 Afterwards I cleared away； leaving them talking
together； and later on they had a walk round the garden； it being a
moonlight night； but a bit too cold for my fancy。
In the morning I had a chat with her before he was down。 She seemed
a bit worried。
〃I hope people won't get talking；〃 she says。 〃He would insist on my
coming。〃
〃Well；〃 I says； 〃surely a gent can bring his cook along with him to
cook for him。 And as for people talking； what I always say is； one
may just as well give them something to talk about and save them the
trouble of making it up。〃
〃If only I was a plain； middle…aged woman；〃 she says； 〃it would be
all right。〃
〃Perhaps you will be； all in good time；〃 I says； but； of course； I
could see what she was driving at。 A nice； clean； pleasant…faced
young woman she was； and not of the ordinary class。 〃Meanwhile；〃 I
says； 〃if you don't mind taking a bit of motherly advice； you might
remember that your place is the kitchen； and his the parlour。 He's
a dear good man； I know； but human nature is human nature； and it's
no good pretending it isn't。〃
She and I had our breakfast together before he was up； so that when
he came down he had to have his alone； but afterwards she comes into
the kitchen and closes the door。
〃He wants to show me the way to High Wycombe；〃 she says。 〃He will
have it there are better shops at Wycombe。 What ought I to do？〃
My experience is that advising folks to do what they don't want to
do isn't the way to do it。
〃What d'you think yourself？〃 I asked her。
〃I feel like going with him；〃 she says； 〃and making the most of
every mile。〃
And then she began to cry。
〃What's the harm！〃 she says。 〃I have heard him from a dozen
platforms ridiculing class distinctions。 Besides；〃 she says； 〃my
people have been farmers for generations。 What was Miss Bulstrode's
father but a grocer？ He ran a hundred shops instead of one。 What
difference does that make？〃
〃When did it all begin？〃 I says。 〃When did he first take notice of
you like？〃
〃The day before yesterday；〃 she answers。 〃He had never seen me
before；〃 she says。 〃I was just 'Cook'something in a cap and apron
that he passed occasionally on the stairs。 On Thursday he saw me in
my best clothes； and fell in love with me。 He doesn't know it
himself； poor dear； not yet； but that's what he's done。〃
Well； I couldn't contradict her； not after the way I had seen him
looking at her across the table。
〃What are your feelings towards him；〃 I says； 〃to be quite honest？
He's rather a good catch for a young person in your position。〃
〃That's my trouble；〃 she says。 〃I can't help thinking of that。 And
then to be 'Mrs。 John Parable'！ That's enough to turn a woman's
head。〃
〃He'd be a bit difficult to live with；〃 I says。
〃Geniuses always are；〃 she says； 〃it's easy enough if you just think
of them as children。 He'd be a bit fractious at times； that's all。
Underneath； he's just the kindest； dearest〃
〃Oh； you take your basket and go to High Wycombe；〃 I says。 〃He
might do worse。〃
I wasn't expecting them back soon； and they didn't come back soon。
In the afternoon a motor stops at the gate； and out of it steps Miss
Bulstrode； Miss Dortonthat's the young lady that writes for
himand Mr。 Quincey。 I told them I couldn't say when he'd be back；
and they said it didn't matter； they just happening to be passing。
〃Did anybody call on him yesterday？〃 asks Miss Bulstrode； careless
like〃a lady？〃
〃No；〃 I says； 〃you are the first as yet。〃
〃He's brought his cook down with him； hasn't he？〃 says Mr。 Quincey。
〃Yes；〃 I says； 〃and a very good cook too；〃 which was the truth。
〃I'd like just to speak a few words with her；〃 says Miss Bulstrode。
〃Sorry； m'am；〃 I says； 〃but she's out at present； she's gone to
Wycombe。〃
〃Gone to Wycombe！〃 they all says together。
〃To market；〃 I says。 〃It's a little farther； but； of course； it
stands to reason the shops there are better。〃
They looked at one another。
〃That settles it；〃 says Mr。 Quincey。 〃Delicacies worthy to be set
before her not available nearer than Wycombe； but must be had。
There's going to be a pleasant little dinner here to…night。〃
〃The hussy！〃 says Miss Bulstrode； under her breath。
They whispered together for a moment； then they turns to me。
〃Good afternoon； Mrs。 Meadows；〃 says Mr。 Quincey。 〃You needn't say
we called。 He wanted to be alone； and it might vex him。〃
I said I wouldn't； and I didn't。 They climbed back into the motor
and went off。
Before dinner I had call to go into the woodshed。 I heard a
scuttling as I opened the door。 If I am not mistaken； Miss Dorton