“But this is the day, don’t you know?” said Lord Frederic. “How am I going to manage things without you?” “All that you have to do is to meet them at the station and take them to the meet,” said Mr. Carteret. “Everything else has been arranged.” “But I’m awfully disappointed,” said Lord Frederic. “I had counted on you to help, don’t you see, and introduce them to Ploversdale. It would be more graceful for an American to do it than for me. You understand?” “Yes,” said Mr. Carteret, “I understand. It’s a great disappointment, but I must bear it philosophically.” Mrs. Ascott-Smith looked at him sympathetically, and he coughed twice. “You are suffering,” she said. “Freddy, you really must not urge him to expose himself. Have you a pain here?” she inquired, touching herself in the region of the pleura. “Yes,” said Mr. Carteret, “it is just there, but I daresay that it will soon be better.” “I am afraid not,” said his hostess. “This is the way pneumonia begins. You must take a medicine that I have. They say that it is quite wonderful for inflammatory colds. I’ll send Hodgson for it,” and she touched the bell. “Please, please don’t take that trouble,” entreated Mr. Carteret. “But you must take it,” said Mrs. Ascott-Smith. “They call it Broncholine. You pour it in a tin and inhale it or swallow it, I forget which, but it’s very efficacious. They used it on Teddy’s pony when it was sick. The little creature died, but that was because they gave it too much, or not enough, I forget which.” Hodgson appeared and Mrs. Ascott-Smith gave directions about the Broncholine. “I thank you very much,” said Mr. Carteret humbly. “I’ll go to my room and try it at once.” “That’s a good chap!” said Lord Frederic, “perhaps you will feel so much better that you can join us.” “Perhaps,” said Mr. Carteret gloomily, “or it may work as it did on the pony.” And he left the room. After Hodgson had departed from his chamber leaving explicit directions as to how and how not to use the excellent Broncholine, Mr. Carteret poured a quantity of it from the bottle and threw it out of the window, resolving to be on the safe side. Then he looked at his boots and his pink coat and white leathers, which were laid out upon the bed. “I don’t think there can be any danger,” he thought, “if I turn up after they have started. I loathe stopping in all day.” He dressed leisurely, ordered his second horse to be sent on, and some time after the rest of the household had gone to the meet he sallied forth. As he knew the country and the coverts which Lord Ploversdale would draw, he counted on joining the tail of the hunt, thus keeping out of sight. He inquired of a rustic if he had seen hounds pass and receiving “no” for an answer, he jogged on at a faster trot, fearing that the hunt might have gone away in some other direction.