Lord Pabham never advertised the
loss of his hy
na; when a strictly fruit-eating animal
strayed from his park a year or two previously he was called
upon to give compensation in eleven cases of sheep-worrying
and practically to re-stock his neighbours' poultry-yards,
and an escaped hyna would have mounted up to something
on the scale of a Government grant. The gipsies were
equally unobtrusive over their missing offspring; I don't
suppose in large encampments they really know to a child or
two how many they've got.''
The Baroness paused reflectively, and then continued:
``There was a sequel to the adventure, though. I got
through the post a charming little diamond broach, with the
name Esm set in a sprig of rosemary. Incidentally, too,
I lost the friendship of Constance Broddle. You see, when I
sold the brooch I quite properly refused to give her any
share of the proceeds. I pointed out that the Esm part
of the affair was my own invention, and the hyna part of
it belonged to Lord Pabham, if it really was his hyna,
of which, of course, I've no proof.''
THE MATCH-MAKER
The grill-room clock struck eleven with the respectful
unobtrusiveness of one whose mission in life is to be
ignored.
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