Page 74 (1/1)

At about the ti the momentous intervieith his father, described in the last chapter, Mr Rufus Bennett woke frohtful old-world one to his roo else to do It was still raining hard, so that a raarden was impossible, and the only alternative to sleep, the society of Mr Henry Mortimer, had become peculiarly distasteful to Mr Bennett

Much has been written of great friendships between man and man, friendships which neither woman can mar nor death destroy Rufus Bennett had always believed that his friendship for Mr Mortiether in the saether in after years They had been Damon and Pythias, David and Jonathan But never till now had they been cooped up together in an English country-house in the lish summer weather So this afternoon Mr Bennett, in order to avoid his life-long friend, had gone to bed

He awoke noith a start, and a moment later realized what it was that had aroused him There was music in the air The rooh the floor and rolling about in chunks all round his bed He blinked the last fragments of sleep out of his syste the bell violently, and presently there entered a grave, thin, intellectual man who looked like a duke, only lish valet

"Is that Mr Mortimer?" he barked, as the door opened

"No, sir It is I--Webster" Not even the annoyance of being suame of penny nap in the housekeeper's roora, sir"

"I wonder you could hear anything with that infernal noise going on," snapped Mr Bennett, "Is Mr Morti-roo air, sir"

"Charood, sir"

The valet withdrew like a duke leaving the royal presence, not actually walking backwards, but giving the i so Mr Bennett lay in bed and fumed Presently the valet returned The music still continued to roll about the room