hors d'œuvre

   were placed before us as he seated himself at the table.

   When he had greeted me I had observed that Colonel Maitland's face had worn a slightly resigned expression that reminded me of a picture I had seen somewhere of Christian martyrs being led to the stake. He took a mouthful of caviar and the cloud lifted. After the soup the dominant note of self-sacrifice had vanished entirely. With the fish his features attained repose. When we reached the

    entrée

   his face had the radiance of a translated saint's. Then, with my mind at rest as to the effect of my little dinner upon my chief guest, I found time to devote a little attention to Winter. Yet, bearing in mind the Colonel's objection to anything but light generalities during the serious business of dinner, I forbore to introduce the topic I was burning to discuss with him. Not until the coffee was upon the table, and Colonel Maitland had expressed his contentment with the dinner, did I venture to refer to it. Then, while our senior was dallying with an early strawberry, Winter gave me a lead.

   "By the way, Sutgrove," he said, "what's this I saw on the evening paper bills about a motor pirate?"

   I told him. His interest was awakened to such an extent that he forgot to taste the glass of port which stood before him, and which I had ordered out of compliment to the Colonel's ideas of what was desirable.

   When my story was concluded Winter was silent. Colonel Maitland, however, hazarded the remark that

   the whole narrative was "a concoction of some of those newspaper fellows. I have been at the War Office," he said, "so I ought to know of what they are capable."

   "I can scarcely imagine that any newspaper would dare hoax its readers to such an extent," remarked Winter.

   "They are capable of anything—anything," replied the Colonel, vigorously. "I have known them on more than one occasion to attack even my department."

   "That of course is scandalous," I replied warmly; "but here the conditions are different. They are referring to people who are able to reply if the facts are not as stated. In your case your mouth, of course, was closed."

   "Umph!" growled the Colonel.

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