Turning back towards (____) House, X all but sobbed, "I reek! Oh, I shall smell of Camellia Caprice forever! I have _never_ been so humiliated! Whatever must they have thought?"

"Yes," said X on a sob. "I know what you mean--exactly. It is purely dreadful, and has been since--since first I met your nephew, and I might, I might have done differently had he not been so _very_ naughty. Well, there was his deathbed in the London house, you know, to say nothing of maneuvering Y and the children with the bat and ball--as though we were all the merest _puppets_!--only so as to...and then that _awful_ thing with--with the mice! And then, when I saw him lying there--and stood over him, but he pulled at my--Oh, _wicked_! But--worst of all--Z was in his _coach_...even when he--he offered for _me_...!

The voice grew clearer. A soft grumbling. X realized that she was hearing Y's deep tones. Y's words came to her sketchily at first. "...have told you repeatedly...don't want you seen at this stage of...had you any brain at all I'd have a better chance of driving it through your stupid head...damned lucky to be alive!"

Edging around a tree trunk, X looked into a small clearing, and she checked, and stood staring. "No, damn you," said Y roughly. "Those tricks will avail you nothing! I'm accustomed to dealing with toad-eating scoundrels, and--" Y looked up then, and saw X. Y was sitting on a tree stump, his gun and game bag lying beside him. And the "toad-eating scoundrel" he chastised was a small and very thin mongrel that wriggled and leapt and butted its head in an ecstasy of joy against a lean and caressing hand. For a moment the two humans stared at each other, equally shocked, equally motionless.

Then, Y drawled wryly, "Hercules, I fear we are found out."

"And I know her well enough that she has no least idea you--loiter about my bedroom, sir."

"You planned this whole thing," Y hissed, "...purely so that you could force your attentions on me!"

"Not 'purely,'" X admitted with an unrepentant grin. "There is much less competition in this pastoral solitude. And besides" -- he succeeded in planting a quick kiss on the tip of her nose -- "your perfume is so--earthy. What is it love? Musk? Or musk ox, perhaps?"

Fingers crooked, X started towards Y.

"No, really, my dear X," gasped Z between sneezes. "Your nature is...too generous for such...vulgarity."

She halted and stared at him, rather pathetically irresolute.

A wild thunder of hooves, shouts of wrath, and V gave a shriek. "W! X! Oh, thank heaven!"

W was out of the saddle while his mare yet ran. He landed, staggering, and raced at Y, his face murderous. "Unhand my sister, damn your eyes!"

"No!" screamed V, as Y thrust her clear.

W's fist whipped back. With another squeal, V threw herself at Y and clung desperately.

"Get away...dammit!" grated Y, struggling

"Let her go, you blackguard," roared X, scrambling erratically from the saddle, "or I'll--Blast and damn, my foot's gone again! W--grass the dirty villain!"

"V," raged W, dancing about. "Can't you get out of the way?"

Z, very pale, rode up and more or less slid from the saddle. "V--thank heaven you're safe," he gasped, clinging to the stirrup. "Take your filthy hands--off her, Y!"

"I am--trying," groaned Y, tugging at V's hands fast clasped behind his neck.

"What're you messing about at, W?" howled X, sitting on the lawn wrestling with a buckle. "Kill the bastard!"

"Well, curse it all, I will, can I just get V away. He won't let her go!"

"Hiding behind...a girl..." gasped my lord, swaying and livid. He advanced, lifting one wavering fist. "I challenge you...Captain..." and he struck W in the eye and fainted.

"Ow!" yelled W.

"Z!" sobbed V.

"Ah--Those great and--sparkling--er, emerald eyes...Ah, Whose beauty--er, fairly petrifies..." He mopped his brow, but struggled on, "petrifies...My-self who--is, er, am--not very wise."