Her hair was almost hidden under a big-brimmed garden hat, but I could see her face properly. Her features were delicate and regular, and her mouth was small and red. Steady grey eyes. She was wearing a soft blue dress of linen, and her brown arms were bare to the elbow. In her hand she had a posy of wild flowers. Little shoes of blue, untanned leather, I think it is. She was slender and lithe to look at, and the flush of health glowed in her cheeks. "I'm sorry," I said. "It all comes of beeing. If we hadn't been beeing--" "And yet he doesn't look mad," she said musingly. "I'm not mad," I said. "I admit that if I had on a bonnet, I should have several bees in it. Happily I lost it at the water jump. I'm a beer." "A what?" she said, recoiling. "A beer. At least I was one. Two other beers were with me--busy beers. Stay," I went on, "be of good beer--I mean cheer. I do not refer to the beverage of that name. By 'beer' I mean one actively interested in bees." She looked more reassured. "Why were you running?" I spread out my hands. "The beggars were at my heels." "By which you mean--" "That the inmates of the hive in which I was just now actively interesting myself, resented such active interest and endeavoured to fall upon me in great numbers." "And you escaped unhurt?" "Except that at the outset I was winged in the ear, I have baulked them of their prey. Selah!" "I had an idea that the person of a beer was sacred." "So it is, my dear. But these were impious bees, dead to all sense of right and wrong. They've done themselves in this time. Guilty of sacrilege and brawling, they may shortly expect a great plague of toads. It will undoubtedly come upon them. I shall curse them tomorrow morning directly after breakfast." "Have you really been stung?" "Every time." "How exciting." "Perhaps. But it's very overrated, believe me." "Let me look." I submitted readily. After a brief scrutiny my lady announced that she could see the sting. Her fingers dealt very gently with the injured lobe, and by dint of looking out of the far corners of my eyes, I just managed to command a prospect of one grey eye and half the red mouth. Her lips were parted and she was smiling a little. "If I didn't love your mouth when you smile, I should be inclined to suggest that it was nothing to laugh about," I said reprovingly. The grey eye met mine. Then she laid a small cool hand firmly on my chin and pushed it round and away. "Otherwise I can't see properly," she explained. Then, "I believe I can dig it out," she said quietly. I broke away at that and looked round. She was quite serious and began to unfasten a gold safety-pin. "Look here," I said hurriedly. "You're awfully kind; but, you know, as it is in, don't you think perhaps it had better stay in? I mean, after all, a sting in the ear--" She just waved my head round and began. "Police," I said feebly. "Assault and wounding stalk in your midst. Police."