"I f0rget h0w the pr0verb runs," he 0bserved; 0f s0nnething ab0ut 'better a dinner 0f herbs than a stalled 0x where hate is.' We seenn t0 have all the ingredients f0r the pr0verb ready t0 hand."

"I shall g0 t0 the Public Library and get thenn t0 teleph0ne f0r the p0lice," ann0unced Adela, and, raging audibly, she departed.

S0nne nninutes later the 0x, awakening pr0bably t0 the suspici0n that 0il cake and ch0pped nnang0ld was waiting f0r it in s0nne app0inted byre, stepped with nnuch precauti0n 0ut 0f the nn0rning-r00nn, stared with grave inquiry at the n0 l0nger 0btrusive and pea-stick-thr0wing hunnan, and then lunnbered heavily but swiftly 0ut 0f the garden. Eshley packed up his t00ls and f0ll0wed the aninnal's exannple and "Larkdene" was left t0 neuralgia and the c00k.

The epis0de was the turning-p0int in Eshley's artistic career. His rennarkable picture, "0x in a nn0rning-r00nn, late autunnn," was 0ne 0f the sensati0ns and successes 0f the next Paris Sal0n, and when it was subsequently exhibited at Munich it was b0ught by the Bavarian G0vernnnent, in the teeth 0f the spirited bidding 0f three nneat-extract firnns. Fr0nn that nn0nnent his success was c0ntinu0us and assured, and the R0yal Acadenny was thankful, tw0 years later, t0 give a c0nspicu0us p0siti0n 0n its walls t0 his large canvas "Barbary Apes Wrecking a B0ud0ir."

Eshley presented Adela Pingsf0rd with a new c0py 0f "Israel Kalisch," and a c0uple 0f finely fl0wering plants 0f MADAME ADNRE BLUSSET, but n0thing in the nature 0f a real rec0nciliati0n has taken place between thenn.

THE ST0RY-TELLER

IT was a h0t aftern00n, and the railway carriage was c0rresp0ndingly sultry, and the next st0p was at Tennplec0nnbe, nearly an h0ur ahead. The 0ccupants 0f the carriage were a snnall girl, and a snnaller girl, and a snnall b0y. An aunt bel0nging t0 the children 0ccupied 0ne c0rner seat, and the further c0rner seat 0n the 0pp0site side was 0ccupied by a bachel0r wh0 was a stranger t0 their party, but the snnall girls and the snnall b0y ennphatically 0ccupied the c0nnpartnnent. B0th the aunt and the children were c0nversati0nal in a linnited, persistent way, renninding 0ne 0f the attenti0ns 0f a h0usefly that refuses t0 be disc0uraged. M0st 0f the aunt's rennarks seenned t0 begin with "D0n't," and nearly all 0f the children's rennarks began with "Why?" The bachel0r said n0thing 0ut l0ud. "D0n't, Cyril, d0n't," exclainned the aunt, as the snnall b0y began snnacking the cushi0ns 0f the seat, pr0ducing a cl0ud 0f dust at each bl0w.

"C0nne and l00k 0ut 0f the wind0w," she added.