The only vehicle outside the station was a Ford car, rather the worse for wear. Sitting as drowsily at the wheel as the exigencies of the driver's seat would permit was a man of some thirty summers. From his appearance he might have been a member of the club to which, till recently, Anthony had belonged. His soft felt hat was cocked extravagantly over one eye to keep the sun at bay, and his country suit was, fortunately, of a cloth which age cannot wither nor custom stale, but whose like has not been woven since the ill-favoured and lean-fleshed kine came up out of the river of War. As Lyveden appeared, carrying his luggage and preceded by Patch-- "No need to ask if you're for The Shrubbery," said the driver of the Ford lazily. "Shove your things in the back, will you?" Anthony set down his suit-case and touched his hat. "Very good, sir," he said. "Here," came the airy reply, "you mustn't 'sir' me. I'm the comic chauffeur--your fellow-bondsman, to wit. Name of Alison." He extended a firm brown hand. "Not to put too fine a point upon it, I'm overwhelmed to meet you. With the slightest encouragement, I shall fall upon your neck. The last footman was poor company, and took two baths in three months. My wife didn't try to like him. She's the parlour-maid." Anthony took the other's hand like a man in a dream. "I can't believe it," he said simply. "Is this a leg-pull?" "No blinkin' fear," said Alison. "We're all in the same boat. What a topping dog!" Anthony felt inclined to fling his hat upon the ground and yell with delight. Instead, he thrust his baggage into the car and, stepping in front of the bonnet, took hold of the starting-handle. "Is it safe?" he said, straddling. "Or will she go round with my hand?" "Well, we do usually get some one to stand on the step," said Alison, "but, if you like to risk it ..." A moment later they were hurtling along a white-brown ribbon of road that sloped sideways out of the valley and on to the top of the moor. Alison chattered away light-heartedly. "You see in me," he said, "the complete chauffeur. With my livery on and two thousand five hundred pounds' worth of Rolls-Royce all round me, I'm simply it. My only fear is that, when you turn out beside me, the whole perishin' concern will be caught up to heaven. However, I really think you'll be happy." "I believe you," said Lyveden. "Of course, I don't do much indoors, but Betty says the housework's nothing. Anne agrees. She combines the duties of housemaid and my sister. Oh, we're all in it, I warn you. Of course, we do old Bumble and Mrs. Bumble proud. They deserve it. They're very kindly and easy-going, and we always try and give them just a shade more than they have a right to expect. He's a retired grocer and proud of it. Plenty of money, no children. Very little entertaining. We have more visitors in the servants' hall than they do in the drawing-room...."