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at him gratefully.
    "Of course you will come in the car," said the Duchess. "I am going myself."
    "Are you, though?" said the Hon. Freddy. "I say, won't you get a bit stared at, what?"
    "Really, Freddy," said the Duchess, "does that matter?"
    "Well," said the Hon. Freddy, "I mean to say, these bounders about here are all Socialists and Methodists…"
    "If they are Methodists," said Mrs. Pettigrew-Robinson, "they will not be at church."
    "Won't they?" retorted the Hon. Freddy. "You bet they will if there's anything to see. Why, it'll be better'n a funeral to 'em."
    "Surely," said Mrs. Pettigrew-Robinson, "one has a duty in the matter, whatever our private feelings may be-especially at the present day, when people are so terribly slack."
    She glanced at the Hon. Freddy.
    "Oh, don't you mind me, Mrs. P.," said that youth amiably. "All I say is, if these blighters make things unpleasant, don't blame me."
    "Whoever thought of blaming you, Freddy?" said the Duchess.
    "Manner of speaking," said the Hon. Freddy.
    "What do you think, Mr. Murbles?" inquired her ladyship.
    "I feel," said the lawyer, carefully stirring his coffee, "that, while your intention is a very admirable one, and does you very great credit, my dear lady, yet Mr. Arbuthnot is right in saying it may involve you in some-er-unpleasant publicity. Er-I have always been a sincere Christian myself, but I cannot feel that our religion demands that we should make ourselves conspicuous-er-in such very painful circumstances."
    Mr. Parker reminded himself of a dictum of Lord Melbourne.
    "Well, after all," said Mrs. Marchbanks, "as Helen so rightly says, does it matter? Nobody's really got anything to be ashamed of. There has been a stupid mistake, of course, but I don't see why anybody who wants to shouldn't go to church."
    "Certainly not, certainly not, my dear," said the Colonel heartily. "We might look in ourselves, eh, dear? Take a walk that way I mean, and come out before the sermon. I think it's a good thing. Shows we don't believe old Denver's done anything wrong, anyhow."
    "You forget, dear," said his wife, "I've promised to stay at home with Mary, poor girl."
    "Of course, of course-stupid of me," said the Colonel. "How is she?"
    "She was very restless last night, poor child," said the Duchess. "Perhaps she will get a little sleep this morning. It has been a shock to her."
    "One which may prove a blessing in disguise," said Mrs. Pettigrew-Robinson.
    "My dear!" said her husband.
    "Wonder when we shall hear from Sir Impey," said Colonel Marchbanks hurriedly.
    "Yes indeed," moaned Mr. Murbles. "I am counting on his influence with the Duke."
    "Of course," said Mrs. Pettigrew-Robinson, "he must speak out-for everybody's sake. He must say what he was doing out of doors at that time. Or, if he does not, it must be discovered. Dear me! That's what these detectives are for, aren't they?"
    "That is their ungrateful task," said Mr. Parker suddenly.
    He had said nothing for a long time, and everybody jumped.
    "There," said Mrs. Marchbanks, "I expect you'll clear it all up in no time, Mr. Parker. Perhaps you've got the real mur-the culprit up your sleeve all the time."
    "Not quite," said Mr. Parker, "but I'll do my best to get him. Besides," he added, with a grin, "I'll probably have some help on the job."
    "From whom?" inquired Mr. Pettigrew-Robinson.
    "Her grace's brother-in-law."
    "Peter?" said the Duchess. "Mr. Parker must be amused at the family amateur," she added.
    "Not at all," said Parker. "Wimsey would be one of the finest detectives in England if he wasn't lazy. Only we can't get hold of him."
    "I've wired to Ajaccio- poste restante ," said Mr. Murbles, "but I don't know when he's likely to call there. He said nothing about when he was coming back to England."
    "He's a rummy old bird," said the Hon. Freddy tactlessly, "but he oughter be here, what? What I mean to say is, if anything happens to old Denver, don't you see, he's the head of the family, ain't he-till little