works, and another twenty-five for getting back into the bushes again, and one had all the makings of a successful enterprise. The moment the door closed I was speeding on my way. I recked little whether anybody saw me, and I should imagine that, had there been eyewitnesses, all they would have seen would have been a sort of blur. I did the first leg of the journey well inside the estimated time, and I had just laid hand on the tray and was about to lift and remove, when there came from outside the door the sound of footsteps. It was a moment for swift thought, and such moments find Bertram Wooster at his best. This morning-room, I should mention, was not the small morning-room where Dwight and little Seabury had had their epoch-making turn-up. In fact, I am rather misleading my public in alluding to it as a morning-room at all. It was really a study or office, being the place where Chuffy did his estate business, totted up his bills, brooded over the growing cost of agricultural apparatus, and gave the tenants the bird when they called to ask him to knock a bit off their rent. And* as you can't get very far with that sort of thing unless you have a pretty good-sized desk, Chuffy had most fortunately had one put in. It stood across one whole corner of the room, and it seemed to beckon to me. Two and a half seconds later, I was behind
it, crouching on the carpet and trying to breathe solely through the pores. The next moment, the door opened and somebodycame in. Feet crossed the floor, right up to the desk, and I heard the click as the hidden hand removed the telephone receiver. " Chuffnell Regis, two-niyun-four," said a voice, and conceive the sudden rush of relief when I recognized it as one that I had many a time shaken hands with in the past-the voice, in short, of a friend in need. " Oh, Jeeves," I said, popping up like a jack-in the-box. You can't rattle Jeeves. Where scullery maids had had hysterics and members of the Peerage had leaped and quivered, he simply regarded me with respectful serenity and, after a civil good morning, went on with the job in hand. He is a fellow who likes to do things in their proper order. " Chuffnell Regis two-niyun-four ? The Sea-view Hotel ? Could you inform me if Sir Roderick Glossop is in his room ? . . . Not yet returned ? . . . Thank you." He hung up the receiver, and was now at liberty to give the late young master a spot of attention. " Good morning, sir," he said again. "
I was not expecting to see you here." " I know, but . . ." " I had supposed that the arrangement was that we should meet at the Dower House."
I shuddered a bit. " Jeeves," I said, " one brief word about the Dower House, and then I should like the subject shelved indefinitely. I know you meant well. I know that when you sent me there your motives were pure to the last drop. But the fact remains that you were dispatching me to a nasty salient. Do you know who was lurking in that House of Fear ?
Brinkley. Complete with chopper." " I am very sorry to hear that, sir.
Then I assume that you did not sleep there last night ? " " No, Jeeves, I did not. I slept-if you can call it sleeping-in a summer-house. And I was just creeping round through the bushes to try to find you, when I saw that parlourmaid setting out food on the table in here." " His lordship's breakfast, sir." " Where is he ? " " He should be down shortly, sir. It is a most fortunate chance that her ladyship should have instructed me to ring up the Seaview Hotel. Otherwise we might have experienced some difficulty in establishing connection." " Yes. What was all that, by the way ? That Seaview Hotel stuff." " Her ladyship is somewhat exercised in her mind about Sir Roderick, sir. I fancy that on reflection she has reached the conclusion that she did not treat him well last night." " Mother Love not so hot this morning ? " " No, sir."
" And it's a case of ' Return and all will be forgiven ' ? " "
Precisely, sir. But unfortunately. Sir Roderick appears to be missing, and we can secure no information as to what has become of him." I was in a position, of course, to explain and clarify, and I did so without delay. " He's all right. After an invigorating session with Brinkley, he went to my garage to get petrol. Was he correct in supposing that that would clean him as well as butter ? " " Yes, sir." " Then I should think he was on his way to London by now, if not actually in the Metropolis."
" I will notify her ladyship at once, sir. I imagine that the information will serve sensibly to lessen her anxiety." " You really think she loves him still and wishes to extend the amends honorable ? "
