"I'm afraid not, Aunt Liz; poor old Hirzat Sing is in the grip of Saloo--a notable money-lender known only to us by name; I believe he lives in Poona, but his meshes are all over the district, and he does his business secretly; he is the most fierce and rapacious of the whole lot. Once or twice I've thought I had him. I believe from what I hear that the wretch has no less than five hundred victims on his books--in his web, I should say." "Poor old Hirzat Sing!" said Mrs. Lepell. "I shall look him up to-morrow. We could get him some job about the place, eh, Tom?" "Yes, my dear; but already we are fairly well supplied with your _protégés_." "Don't be horrid, Tom. I have, and so have you, the greatest respect for Hirzat Sing. He is one of Nature's noblemen." "And I have to find him some job--such as weeding or sweeping--at five rupees a month. Well, I'll do what I can." "By the way, Miss Verona," turning to his silent, sad-faced guest, "I saw in _The Times_ the death of a Chandos of Charne Hall. I believe he's related to your father? I am not sure--but I think he is his cousin." "Oh my, yes; it must be father's cousin," burst in Pussy. "He never speaks of him, but mother does; she says he was such--a--thief and a budmash--he--ought to have been put in jail!" "Pussy!" remonstrated her sister. "If it is Sidney, it will make a great difference to your father," continued Mr. Lepell, addressing Verona. "I don't believe anything would make any difference to him," then she dropped her voice as she added the word "now." "Dear me! How dull we have all been!" exclaimed Mrs. Lepell. "I really think we shall have to introduce the Chinese system of having little slips of paper inscribed with jokes, which they solemnly hand to each other during intervals in the conversation." "I wish I could remember a few," said Salwey; "but they run in at one ear and out at the other! I wonder if this would do? A certain schoolboy was asked, 'Who was Titus?' 'Titus,' he promptly replied, 'was a gentleman who wrote a letter in the Bible. Then, as a Roman general, he sacked Jerusalem. Subsequently, having adopted the name of Oates, he headed an abominable insurrection.' How is that, Aunt Liz?" "Much too historical and stupid," she said as she rose. "I suppose you wished to drive us off, and therefore we depart. Good-bye!" The three ladies were followed into the verandah by coffee and the men, and Salwey, drawing up a low chair beside Verona, said: "Did you ever see this pretty thing before?" As he spoke he dropped a ring into her lap. She picked it up and exclaimed, "I should think so--my long-lost property! Where did you find it?" "Can you swear to it?" "I can do more, if necessary. I was in the shop when auntie bought it--a black pearl, set in brilliants. I wanted all emeralds, but she insisted. Look here," and she unpinned a plain, gold safety brooch, "do you see this?"