72 CONVERSATIONAL HINTS 



At this Tom looked grieved, and I ventured to 

 break out into a protest : 



'Dear Mrs. Wingfield,' I implored, 'don't give 

 us up altogether. Do come and re-civilise us at 

 lunch.' 



At this Mrs. Wingfield gave me a look, and only 

 whispered 'hypocrite.' I tried to look surprised 

 and indignant. 



' You, sir,' she continued, ' ought to be the last 

 to protest. Are we not carrying out the disgusting 

 precepts that you have preached to us in your 

 horrid paper? And then you dare to try and 

 inveigle us out to lunch. I suppose you want to 

 what do you call it ? make copy out of us. But 

 we don't mean to give you the chance.' And with 

 that she flung out of the room, leaving me abashed. 

 ' Never mind the little woman,' said Tom, ' we 

 shall spend less time on lunch, and be able to do 

 more shooting,' and in this cheerful view we all 

 concurred all, that is, except Jack Wingfield, 

 Tom's younger brother, whose attentions to Agnes 

 Watson had been very noticeable. In fact, when 

 Jack heard that we were not to be anywhere in the 

 neighbourhood of the Abbey ruins, his distress was 

 pitiable, and his anger against me as the author of 



