CHAPTER XX 



A Visit to Troutbridge 



For eleven months and a bit out of each 

 twelve the little tov^^n of Troutbridge in 

 Chalkshire sleeps. 



It wakes up for about three weeks in June 

 when the may-fly is on, but before midsummer 

 it is dozing off again, and practically it will 

 slumber serenely till the end of the follow- 

 ing May. 



Now and again on a bright winter day 

 there is some faint sign of animation in the 

 town when the hounds come through on 

 their way to the regular three-times-a-year 

 meet at the ' Pig and Whistle ' hard by j and 

 on the first of September there is something 

 in the nature of a slight bustle about the Lion 

 Hotel, where a little knot of sportsmen from 



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