Jimmy Thesiger arrived at Letherbury on a sunny autumn afternoon and was greeted affectionately by Lady Coote and with cold dislike by Sir Oswald. Aware of the keen match-making eye of Lady Coote upon him, Jimmy took pains to make himself extremely agreeable to Socks Daventry. O'Rourke was there in excellent spirits. He was inclined to be official and secretive about the mysterious events at the Abbey, about which Socks catechized him freely, but his official reticence took a novel form--namely that of embroidering the tale of events in such a fantastic manner that nobody could possibly guess what the truth might have been. "Four masked men with revolvers? Is that really so?" demanded Socks severely. "Ah! I'm remembering now that there was the round half dozen of them to hold me down and force the stuff down my throat. Sure, and I thought it was poison, and I done for entirely." "And what was stolen, or what did they try and steal?" "What else but the crown jewels of Russia that were brought to Mr. Lomax secretly to deposit in the Bank of England." "What a bloody liar you are," said Socks without emotion. "A liar? I? And the jewels brought over by aeroplane with my best friend as pilot. This is secret history I'm telling you, Socks. Will you ask Jimmy Thesiger there if you don't believe me. Not that I'd be putting any trust in what he'd say." "Is it true," said Socks, "that George Lomax came down without his false teeth? That's what I want to know." "There were two revolvers," said Lady Coote. "Nasty things. I saw them myself. It's a wonder this poor boy wasn't killed." "Oh, I was born to be hanged," said Jimmy. "I hear that there was a Russian countess there of subtle beauty," said Socks. "And that she vamped Bill." "Some of the things she said about Buda Pesth were too dreadful," said Lady Coote. "I shall never forget them. Oswald, we must send a subscription." Sir Oswald grunted. "I'll make a note of it, Lady Coote," said Rupert Bateman. "Thank you, Mr. Bateman. I feel one ought to do something as a thank offering. I can't imagine how Sir Oswald escaped being shot--letting alone die of pneumonia." "Don't be foolish, Maria," said Sir Oswald. "I've always had a horror of cat burglars," said Lady Coote. "Think of having the luck to meet one face to face. How thrilling!" murmured Socks. "Don't you believe it," said Jimmy. "It's damned painful." And he patted his right arm gingerly. "How is the poor arm?" inquired Lady Coote. "Oh, pretty well all right now. But it's been the most confounded nuisance having to do everything with the left hand. I'm no good whatever with it." "Every child should be brought up to be ambidextrous," said Sir Oswald. "Oh!" said Socks, somewhat out of her depth. "Is that like seals?" "Not amphibious," said Mr. Bateman. "Ambidextrous means using either hand equally well." "Oh!" said Socks, looking at Sir Oswald with respect. "Can you?" "Certainly; I can write with either hand."