to read the human female countenance。 Very cold and proud…looking she was！ I don't know who this S。 Marlowe is； but I do know one thing； in this hand I hold the instrument that's going to give it him in the neck； proper！ Right in the neck； or my name isn't Montagu Webster！〃
〃Well！〃 said Mrs。 Withers fortably； pausing for a moment from her labours。 〃Think of that！〃
〃The way I look at it；〃 said Webster； 〃is that there's been some sort of understanding between our Miss B。 and this S。 Marlowe； and she's thought better of it and decided to stick to the man of her parent's choice。 She's chosen wealth and made up her mind to hand the humble suitor the mitten。 There was a rather similar situation in 'Cupid or Mammon；' that Nosegay Novelette I was reading in the train ing down here； only that ended different。 For my part I'd be better pleased if our Miss B。 would let the cash go； and obey the dictates of her own heart； but these modern girls are all alike。 All out for the stuff； they are！ Oh； well； it's none of my affair；〃 said Webster； stifling a not unmanly sigh。 For beneath that immaculate shirt…front there beat a warm heart。 Montagu Webster was a sentimentalist。
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
A half…past two that afternoon； full of optimism and cold beef； gaily unconscious that Webster； with measured strides was approaching ever nearer with the note that was to give it him in the neck； proper； Samuel Marlowe dangled his feet from the top bar of the gate at the end of the lane and smoked contentedly as he waited for Billie to make her appearance。 He had had an excellent lunch； his pipe was drawing well； and all Nature smiled。 The breeze from the sea across the meadows； tickled pleasantly the back of his head； and sang a soothing song in the long grass and ragged…robins at his feet。 He was looking forward with a roseate glow of anticipation to the moment when the white flutter of Billie's dress would break the green of the foreground。 How eagerly he would jump from the gate！ How lovingly he would。。。。
The elegant figure of Webster interrupted his reverie。 Sam had never seen Webster before； and it was with no pleasure that he saw him now。 He had e to regard this lane as his own property； and he resented trespassers。 He tucked his legs under him； and scowled at Webster under the brim of his hat。
The valet advanced towards him with the air of an affable executioner stepping daintily to the block。
〃Mr。 Marlowe； sir？〃 he enquired politely。
Sam was startled。 He could make nothing of this。
〃Eh？ What？〃
〃Have I the pleasure of addressing Mr。 S； Marlowe？〃
〃Yes； that's my name。〃
〃Mine is Webster； sir； I am Mr。 Bennett's personal gentleman's gentleman。 Miss Bennett entrusted me with this note to deliver to you； sir。〃
Sam began to grasp the situation。 For some reason or other； the dear girl had been prevented from ing this afternoon； and she had written to explain and to relieve his anxiety。 It was like her。 It was just the sweet； thoughtful thing he would have expected her to do。 His contentment with the existing scheme of things returned。 The sun shone out again； and he found himself amiably disposed towards the messenger。
〃Fine day；〃 he said； as he took the note。
〃Extremely； sir；〃 said Webster； outwardly unemotional； inwardly full of a grave pity。
It was plain to him that there had been no previous little rift to prepare the young man for the cervical operation which awaited him； and he edged a little nearer； in order to be handy to catch Sam if the shock knocked him off the gate。
As it happened； it did not。 Having read the opening words of the note； Sam rocked violently； but his feet were twined about the lower bars and this saved him from overbalancing。 Webster stepped back； relieved。
The note fluttered to the ground。 Webster； picking it up and handing it back； was enabled to get a glimpse of the first two sentences。 They confirmed his suspicions。 The note was hot stuff。 Assuming that it continued as it began； it was about the warmest thing of its kind that pen had ever written。 Webster had received one or two heated epistles from the sex in his timeyour man of gallantry can hardly hope to escape these unpleasantnessesbut none had got off the mark quite so swiftly； and with quite so much frigid violence as this。
〃Thanks；〃 said Sam； mechanically。
〃Not at all； sir。 You are very wele。〃
Sam resumed his reading。 A cold perspiration broke out on his forehead。 His toes curled； and something seemed to be crawling down the small of his back。 His heart had moved from its proper place and was now beating in his throat。 He swallowed once or twice to remove the obstruction； but without success。 A kind of pall had descended on the landscape； blotting out the sun。
Of all the rotten sensations in this world； the worst is the realisation that a thousand…to…one chance has e off； and caused our wrong…doing to be detected。 There had seemed no possibility of that little ruse of his being discovered； and yet here was Billie in full possession of the facts。 It almost made the thing worse that she did not say how she had e into possession of them。 This gave Sam that feeling of self…pity； that sense of having been ill…used by Fate； which makes the bringing home of crime so particularly poignant。
〃Fine day！〃 he muttered。 He had a sort of subconscious feeling that it was imperative to keep engaging Webster in light conversation。
〃Yes； sir。 Weather still keeps up；〃 agreed the valet suavely。
Sam frowned over the note。 He felt injured。 Sending a fellow notes didn't give him a chance。 If she had e in person and denounced him it would not have been an agreeable experience； but at least it would have been possible then to have pleaded and cajoled andand all that sort of thing。 But what could he do now？ It seemed to him that his only possible course was to write a note in reply； begging her to see him。 He explored his pockets and found a pencil and a scrap of paper。 For some moments he scribbled desperately。 Then he folded the note。
〃Will you take this to Miss Bennett；〃 he said； holding it out。
Webster took the missive； because he wanted to read it later at his leisure； but he shook his head。
〃Useless； I fear； sir；〃 he said gravely。
〃What do you mean？〃
〃I am afraid it would effect little or nothing； sir； sending our Miss B。 notes。 She is not in the proper frame of mind to appreciate them。 I saw her face when she handed me the letter you have just read； and I assure you； sir； she is not in a malleable mood。〃
〃You seem to know a lot about it！〃
〃I have studied the sex； sir；〃 said Webster modestly。
〃I mean； about my business； confound it！ You seem to know all about it！〃
〃Why； yes； sir； I think I may say that I have grasped the position of affairs。 And； if you will permit me to say so； sir； you have my respectful sympathy。〃
Dignity is a sensitive plant which flourishes only under the fairest conditions。 Sam's had perished in the bleak east wind of Billie's note。 In other circumstances he might have resented this intrusion of a stranger into his most intimate concerns。 His only emotion now； was one of dull but distinct gratitude。 The four winds of heaven blew chilly upon his raw and unprotected soul； and he wanted to wrap it up in a mantle of sympathy； careless of the source from which he borrowed that mantle。 If Webster； the valet； felt disposed； as he seemed to indicate； to fort him； let the thing go on。 At that moment Sam would have accepted condolences from a coal…heaver。
〃I was reading a storyone of the Nosegay Novelettes； I do not know if you are familiar with the series； sir？in which much the same situation occurred。 It was entitled 'Cupid or Mammon！' The heroine； Lady Blanche Trefusis； forced by her parents to wed a wealthy suitor； despatches a note to her humble lover； informing him it cannot be。 I believe it often happens like that； sir。〃
〃You're all wrong；〃 said Sam。 〃It's not that at all。〃
〃Indeed； sir？ I supposed it was。〃
〃Nothing like it！ II〃
Sam's dignity； on its death…bed； made a last effort to assert itself。
〃I don't know what it's got to do with you！〃
〃Precisely； sir！〃 said Webster； with dignity。 〃Just as you say！ Good afternoon； sir！〃
He swayed gracef