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
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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。〃
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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；
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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
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woods。 Very few people know about them； but as a member of the
league for protecting rare birds that information would be at his disposal。
I came down in the train with him； and I noticed that a bulky volume
of Dresser's 'Birds of Europe' was one of the requisites that he had
packed in his travelling…kit。 It was the volume dealing with short…
winged hawks and buzzards。〃
Clovis believed that if a lie was worth telling it was worth telling
well。
〃This is appalling；〃 said Mrs。 Olston
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