The Land Beetle.

Evening Post, Volume LXXV, Issue 27, 1 February 1908, Page 10

The Land Beetle.

Bj FIOEA. ANNIE Sxekl, Author 6i " A Sovereign Bemed'y, 1" oto. (All Eights Reserved)

I. He was lying face downwards at the t>ottom of a sand hill ; one of those sand hills which rise like a fretted porcupine set thick with grassy bristles, ;Jjetween the levels of tho golf links and "th& sea. It was a beautiful summer Taftcrnoon, and tho noontide heat of the sun that was now sinking had been --treasured up by the sand, so that it ~i elt like a warm oath to the long limbs ,]£}£ John, Gosling. He had been lying -in exactly- tho same position i for- quite time,, for "he' was watching an Tja^fassiness wasp, one of those curious '^{euiale creatures who, feeling it their —duty- to leave their prospective larvae -^provided with a larder, set off when X~they ,' have dug a- suitable hole in tho - ~<sand\ paralyse somo unoffending cater-r^illft^or-mofcK by a stjrig between tho it, home, deposit an egg ■^beneath; $ts jkin, and whcix each egg; '^Has 'fotfnd tf 8 insect, seal up th.o mouth .'Jof the hole feeling motherhood satisr.'fiedj a?K?" all responsibilities fulfilled. '■~* The deadly purpose of this sacrifico rtJof -Uf e. 10 produce tifa had always had jjnpiense " attraction for John GosVling", born and, bred over in the Anti-'-ipoaes, r arfd -now that ho had come to .LtEngland" 'for various purposes (one of Vthem -being' to read a- paper on tho Wmost? remarkable- "of his mi&ny natural discoveries before the British ho had been tremendously ."^interested in finding, as "he thought, a tnew. and distinct variety of Animqphila tJ.iii the. very flfsb sand hills. ... W ,-Here his- clear -blue eyes wandered for , (^a .second- from th& tiny hole into which ' '.'Mrs. Ammophila had just taken a third -^carcase) tnen he- raisqd his head artd '^listened. • ' , "> ;,!' Steps. [ co .some one must be coming vN :*o disturb him- - • •• • a —Voices i— By Jo\'e! Jusfe at tho. other -isitle 1 bf the sand' bill. ■ \< ' ' ! " l . ~ "Of course, womansie,' said a- man's . - voice with 'a peculiarly indifferent gush ,*<in it> "I've, had a perfectly rippin'time, but I must, go now "- ,, "How busy 1 you are, dqar boy,' -re-„'-plied.a. girl's r voice- "I suppose you'll .-ihaye to go straight to Fleet-street?" ■ ' The male voice laughed. "You little w goose! No! I've got to dine with a ''jolly lot at Earl's' Cour 1 firsti and - shan't leave till lights are out—l ex- • pact." . - "But yop. haven't written your article ' yet, have' you?", . came the, girl's voice. ■ •It was a sweet, pleasant voice with more culture in it than tho man's. "Write it in the train. Now, dearest, your lips, most beautiful-7 — " ' There was a confused sound of kiss.ing, -which made John Gosling blush to J bis very scalp ; but then he A # as somewhat of a wild. man of.^he woods. He 'raised his head, feeling wickedly curious, and caught sight .of? two golfing caps, two smooth cheeks — two apparent festoons' of dack hair encroaching on ..those cheeks in .dose proximity; so sank' ba«k abashed, wondering vaguely which • 4 was the woman, ■ which the man. - "I wish— l wish," Piggy (his real name ■was Percival, but he preferred his school , ' nickname), sighed tho woman's voice, "we- could tell father." i .' The man's voice' became hard in- . stently. , 1 . "Don't be silly, child. It isn t a? if 1 'we were going to get married yet, ' awhile — and this clandestine business is really as good as a fiver to me very week. I teem -with ideas after our day ' together amongst these blessed sand hills. I'm getting on like anything, and ; shall pass into the" three guineas a thou- j !,and, before long— and a thousand, -■ mind you, goes no way in adjectives! " Blue sky, blue sea, purple hills, lovely girl, sweetest kiss! Why there's sixpence earned 1 already! .'But we shall want a lo* of sixpences before .?e set ' up shop together in the .little two-room-ed flat close ;to Piccadilly, and buttor- . fly if all over the , town. But it will - , bo rippin' when ifc comes. You and I— ■ and nobody else to Worry' us. You will '* b e of ago next week, remember, and 'then your father——" ,-. "He means to be kind, Piggy!" she • interrupted vehemently* I "Of course-" h© does/ ho replied ■'coolly; *'who wouldn't be kind to you, . • dearest ?*• But, - you know, he's a bit ''.silly about that ruined old barn of yours. As if it mattered! We shall have enough to begin well — perhaps. v 'And" when you get the money — as you 'will, of course, at his death." There . . was a distinct note of anxiety in his • \voiee. "At his death. \h, Piggy, don't ' lalk like that about my father." There was a short silence, another confused soand of kissing, and then the - -nan'^ voice became husky with pas- ' <#ion.. .. , r "How beautiful you look with the ;.tear3 m your eyes! Sweetest! Isn't *our love sufficient? Why should we "'trouble, about the old man ? What is rh6 to "it? By Jove! I must be off. -•Here! have a cigarette to console you, -little girl- Hullo! only five left, and I have those for the train — couldn't a line without them. Come-;-^and push me off, there's a darling! the "•^iide. is-^gbing out-"-\Z The "gn;l looked ".first, at her wrist "...; I Vatch».then dubious. '-' "All right," she said, "but father '.-[Will bo wondering." ;." John Gosling raised hi 3 head and < looked after the retreating figures, for Tithe Ammophila, having come out again, ,7 had set forth on another, quest for a - victim, and he was at leisure. A young man and a. young woman lt b.otb. superlatively— yonng ; but small— yesi distinctly < small for a man. And ■what -curious ' red lips'. . His hair, too, ""in that "odd festoon. They looked like "brother and sister; but even John Gosling's sister should not "get her feet web pushing his boat to sea, r not even if the .tide- were going out, and the sands of the estuary showing everywhere through .".tha, shallow water like a drowned worn- ;; > 'dn^,,dr,<jss. , .. ~ Over the other side of the deep stream - -thes sand hills crept closer to tho shore. „ The young man would evidently leave the- boat there for its owner, and walk 'over to the railway station, beyond, and *^jjo ,c<itch tho afternoon express — 'it must be a free and easy life at Earl's Court, . for there would be no time to dress — awhile the young woman — "Oh, Piggy! came an agonised cry, "you've got tho key of my bicycle. put it in your cigarette case, don't you remember?" The boat slackened, the young fellow v 'didn't scull badly, though in rather a lavish style — then the rower looked at his watch, and shook his" head. "Awfully, hideously sorry, my own," came 'his ■voice over the water, "but I haven't on instant to spare. .Can't you wheel the thing somehow' to fche shop, and get the -.man to- pick' it— iVs only half a mileV' >Th& boat, ."meanwhile was recovering, speedi iWJbich added "to the finality of the vertKotpand-fth© girl, after one glance- at the * straggblg Village a full mile away, acquiesced, , ■ ' "All right," she called; then a,dded in a lower key," "and don't forget me, Piggy, in the whirl." He kissed his hand, and she with a fine blush kissed hers. Ihen John Gosling dropped, for she turned his vray* andi baYing been unable^

to escape hitherto, h& wished her to be absolutely ignorant of his presence. Had the Ammophila returned during his absence? Ho could not say, but ne must remain hidden until the girl — Ye gods! there she was on the top of his sandhill, looking down on. him with a frown. "Havo you been there — all the time?" she asked severely. There was nothing for it but boldness. He stood up, six feet of solid manhood. "Yes," ho said frankly, "all ,the time. I couldn't get away. . I—l wus looking at — at an insect." "Insect?" she echoed, something in his tone making her flush. "At an Ammophila," ha explained, j and Iho sound of the word seemed ,to draw him on, for ho continued confidentially. . "I believe it's a new v sort. You know they are all 'ferooious mothers, and kill other insects romor-selessly in order to feed their larvae ; but this one,' I'm almost" aure^, chooses ' the male insects only. '.Tf Tm right I shall call J ifAnimophila, Arsenocthonus' — that is, the 'cater of the tnale> things,*' in Greek you know." .Then he gave a_sudd&i boyish laugh. "Rather a good description of some' women, don't yow think .*" ■ "I really do noi< know," she replied icily. "Good afternoon." „ ■ ' "But you caii't whfeel that locked bicycle close,on a mile," ho exclaimed ; "let me carry it foi 1 you— or," he added, noticing a backward glance at tho young man, who, having crossed, was speeding towards the station, "if you like i can pick the lock for you. Out in ths colonies we 'have to learn odd jobs." "Such as-r-as' housebreaking," she suggested nastily, as she watched him set to work in business-like fashion. "Better than heart-breaking, anyhow," ha replied cheerfully, "Could you oboblige mo with a hairpin." She gave him on&, and a remark about love laughing at }oeksmiths. ,. t , • "All right,'* ' he said unconcernedly, "you may laugh aj; mo .if you 'like, but — there- you are! — free!! 1 : As ehe finally got rid of him at a comparatively hard bit of road where, with an assured authority which made her blood boil, he declared she miffht got on her bicycle if she rdde carefully, ehe told herself that if all colonials were such boors she was glad sho did not- know many of thenv-The-a, being in truth terribly 1 behind time, ijho dashed off for her singing lesson—primary" excuse for a weekly afternoon absence from home— and so back to the quaint old black and white house ton miles inland, of which lier father waa so proud ; for had id not belonged to the Goslmgs since tho days of Domesday Book? But she being young, and having, throiigh her mother's early death, been brought up as a boardinghouse scholar at a- high school, thought no more about lixia than she did that she was tho fifteenth Alice Gosling in succession. They were both, she thought, hideous names, anad had been borne, no doubt, by horrid old frumps, and though, being a twentieth-century gh*l, sho. Had dqubts about the propriety of giving up anything when she married — even her name — sho could not )^{\t .admit that-Mrs. Percival Jocelyn would be an improvement. Meanwhile Piggy called her - Ally ; and sometimes, when she insisted on getting away- in'ac.cittjpxa time, Ally Slope?; for ho was 'arming Journalist, "who spent his young life in purveying amusements' of" all sorte for other young life. \ That in tha courea' of this, he had necessarily to see a good deal of life,- did not occur to her "unpleasantly. He was- wonderfully, clevpr, extraordinarily handsome, though smnll and 'delicate as a- girl ; even without hor shoes she was a good inch taller than he was. And then he fitted into .ill Her \ iewe ; here,- catching her first glhnpgb of the* old . black-and-white* h6use,- a sudden doubt-4the first which had eyer •assailed her — made hfer. hesitate, in sfco'ei ling, and nearly land in the great ifou gates which,. Borne travelled Gosling hft.d brought; years agq from Flanders. ; Sha fel|> a new twinge of regret' at her own deceit (a very harmless one she had told herself before, 1 only intended to save her- dear old father from needless anxiety, until such time as Ptrctval 'could ' come forward boldly and claim her) when .sha saw that dear old father waiting for her on the steps/ Yes: she" ought to toll him. bhe would tell him. Next wesk her twentyfirst birthday would come. There would, ho had told her, be some papers to sign ; she -would take the opportunity thus given. - But he, apparently, felt confidence more ' Urgent, for he began at once. "How late you are, Alicia, 1 ' hfe said; "it is almost dinner-time, arid yet I must tell you somethidg. I suppose, it would have be-sn wiser to. tell you before, but — " he paused, and looked whimsically at her.- "The fact is, I am a bit afraid of you, my dear ! All fathers aro afraid of their daughters now-a-days — " "You silly old daddy," sho said affectionately, taking him by the arm. "Come into thß smokingroom, darling, and tell me all about "it, if it can't wait until to-morrow. I'll ring and tell cook to put oft dinner—" "Ah! you can't do that," he exclaimed fussily. "I — I beg of you, Alicia, not to do that. ] f you will listen, and listen reasonably, we shall have- timp —plenty of tjme\" "i;ou don't mean to sa,y that my cousin— as you call him, though ho 'is third at best— John Gosling whom no one has ever «oen before is in the house; that you've asked him here without asking me?" ,she said iivo minutes afterwards in felow astonishment, when her father had briefly explained the situation, "and that you nave asked him to marry me," sh& went on, with concentrated • bitterness. "No, no, AHcia J — that was— it has been always an understanding in the family, whenever there has been a failure of direct heirs, the heir presumptive has invariably married the female Gosling." "Who vras a goose to do it," re torted Alicia with spirit. "No, dear old dad, I don't want to vex my dearest old daddicums but— really— it s impossible. I don't wonder you didn't dare to mention it before. It is bad enough in tho twentieth century to have an antiquated law of entail to deal with — though, thank heaven, it doesn't atfect tho money part of it — " "You don t understand, my dear," interrupted her father irritably. "The money you get from your poor mother, of course, but the other — all this would havo been explained to you next weuk, and John Gosling's telegram — " "Come! it was a telegram!" admitted Alicia^ condescendingly. "Then it wasn't quite so much of malice pre* pense on your part. But it is no uso talking of it, dadicums. IC will not marry a man I do not love."' She covered he,r sudden seriousness by adding, " and I couldn't have a man called Gosljng— l hate the name." "Sly dear girl,'' again 1 expostulated , her parent 'irritably, "how often have I not told y<m it is really De Gocelyn — one of the* oddest- Norman families. You don't object to the kindred name of Jocelyn, I'm sure." Alicia coloured up bright scarlet and retreated to dress. It was characteristic of her, that though really annoyed and fully determined . to- crush her ridiculous cousin, she yet put- on he,r be&i dross.

Consequently she lodked remarkably well when she-entered- -Hie drawingroom calmly,- ten minutes after the bfll rang. "Alicia — your cousin, John Gosling," said her father fussily. It was the seeker after insects — the picker of locks ! Sho blushed furiously, and said nothing ; b,ufc his composure was quite unmoved. "I am very glad to make your acquaintance," he said, frankly, after a faint pause. Alicia rose early next morning. Sho had scarcely had a wink of sleep during the night, and tho bright summer sun tempted her out. Thon a groat hedge of sweet-peas in the garden cried aloud to hey, and as she picked then), fragrant, many-hued, her thoughts began to settle themselves like a bee upon the flowers. I She must have it out, as soot 1 as she could, with John Gosling. His absolute retjeence of the previous evening concerning their first meeting was in itself an offence ; and yet, when she had not seized on that first moment of introductiou, how could he "as v gentleman do moie or less than acquiesce in her decision ? And lie was a gentleman- certainly. YOunger«looking, ' too,, than his' years, v/bicli he had been careful to .mention wore thirty-six. Hi?, beard, of course, was" detestublci— though that," again, was a mere matter of razors. — and he had a pleasant ugly face. But how keon he waa ! What a lot he knew about tho old housa and the : 'old belongings. Almost as mfech as'daddicums — poor old daddioujna— — ! ' ' Yes! sho- really must write and, tell Piggy. She paused in absolute disgust T^-no ! she would not call • tho man who was to be her husband by such a nickname. Alicia . Gosling, indeed, being a twentieth-century girl, went further even than this. Her mind suddenly revolted against the idea of calling the "future father of her children — if Heaven s6nt them— (this, again was a new thought) by such an- opprobrious aiame as Piggy. He should, be Percy in future. Yes! Percy must be told that fathers had-theh-rights as well as children, that the whole question of racial improvement ,was bound up in tuis handing on from parent 3to offspring pf— of what ? Old blac£-and-white nouses occasionally ! She looked .up at the old house, With new eyes, seeing it for the firpt time as tho cradle of immortality, and with a sigh, her hands full qf sweet-peas, she- % stopped back inco the path. Coming along it a^ its further end she saw John Gosling with the lsiaurfed air of one*- who has been up since dawn. H-s ' was reading a gaper, and Wab evidently deeply interested ,in something he had found there, for 'he frowned over it, too preoccupied to notice her. Suddenly, however, he let loose a vigorous, "The young cad ! I'd like to kick h»sh," and the next moment Alicia, Catching a glimpse of the title of tho paper, realised that he must be reading Percival Jocdyn's article in "Week-end \Vhjspey3," which was delivered early. Her blood was up in a second. "Good morning, Mr. Gosling," bhe said, calmly. "Me writes amusingly, doesn't he?" John Gosling looked at her from head to foot. With the great bunch of 'sweet- j peas in her hand she stood a faultless ' plctiu'e. . And the little imp whom she j favoured — j "Perhaps you would like to read it," j he 'said, frigidly, handing her the paper. "For myself I should burn' it." "Perhaps he is not over-kind to you," she began- witlua' militant laugh. "Excus^ me IHe is" over kind. -He makes rue free of your, lips — as he was.'* \ Shs felt' herself .trembling, tingling with something that. was nob all, resentment as sho took tha paper, and glanced over ths aTticlo signed Piggy- Tho title was v Writ con in Sandj" .and it was an estreWiely' clover, extremely amusing sketch pf >-hat'httd' passed amQhg the sandhills; tho day before, and describing the et'P^ltfig lover's feelings, as, trudging catch his train, hs saw another mail rise up to" take his place. "You 'do not understand," she cried, hotly, thtxigh with a'sftealring shame ab her hearty "He- doesn't mean it. Authors 'must" use everything as copy — and it i$ awfully well done — " "Possibly^" replied John Gosling, "bub if I loved a girl — I'm dashed — " ho ' paused, and added irrevelantly, ''and then he is sudl a little chap !" "Perhaps I prefer small men," shebegan superbly. "I daresay you do," he retorted quite j roughly;, "b^ilt 1 wasn't thinking of you j • — I was thinking of the children — " he I brought himself 'up short, flushed slightly, and added, "I suppose I ought not. to' lsivo said that. It is one of the subjects which, is barred, over here. Why, j God knows.! I, apologise. But, if you please, we'll drop the. subject. I- shall Only get into a mess over it, and if you ! don't mind> no one else has any right j trt interfere. Do you know I was right yesterday?, It was a new species, and I've got the ruthless mother, who sacrifices even a possible husband to iho j claims of the nursery, in this bag, if you care to see it." So they sat down on an old stone seat, and Alicia looked at "Ammophila Arsenocthonus," as it lay in a cardboard box. It was a gay, black-red, slim- wasted; diaphanous-winged little creature, and looked more like an opera dancer than a heavy mother. "I wonxler — " she began, Tier dark eyes full of dreams. "Ah ! there you are !" assented John Gosling 'eagerly. '"It is always 'I wonder' when one gets out of the little ways of man. If all London were to come into this garden it would find enough to occupy all its 'energy all its life. And 1 yet men — " Alicia moved away the "Week End Whispers" quietly. "You haven't," she said. "I can see- that in your face: You look as though you had lived in tho open. 1 ' ( Ho laughed frankly. "Not always! I 6pent three dark months in a cupboard once, watching a pin point of electric light follow the spirals of a ' climbing pltoit. It's awfully * interesting — you've reaa. Darwin about it, of course-!" She had at school, schofasticaUy ; but out here with "the azure- silk of morning" still veiling the work-a-day world, it seemed very different. Something in that hour spent in talk before breakfast mad© her Bit down after that meal and write a letter to Peroy— not to Piggy — and tell him frankly how business affairs stood. She would havo the money her mother left her, of course, when she came of ago, but the- rest must go with the old black-and-white barn. She scarcely imagined this would make any difference ; but, but— would he write to hor as frankly as she wrote to him '( The day passed on deliciously. A senses of peace and content came to tho old garden, where- those two sat and talked, and walked and talked 1 , to the great joy of Alicia's father. Of course John Gosling was leaving early next morning, but equally of course he would 'return. Tho acquaintance so wel l begun would lipen into something stronger ; and so — . The old gentleman, fell asle-ep in his armchair dreaming of little children playing hide-and-soek among the sweet-peas. But, just a-t that moment, beside' a bowlful of those same sweet peas which Alicia had set in the summer-house, John Goalinir was saying : "It is a dear old place, nicer even than I- had expected — though I've heard wonderful tales of it all my life — and I shall be very sorry not to see it again." "Not to- see it agi\in," echoed Alicia, "but you aro conjing back again, surely? r-fathcr expects you." "Let him expect!" was the reply. "There is no use in gamine the dear old

fellow ; but you and I know better. Ko I I shall never come back." "But yoo must come dny," persisted Alicia, obstinately, "for it will belong to you." - Ho laughed. "I may die before then. Your father's .life* is a jolly good one. Too good anyhow for me — or you for that matter — to count upon." It was curious how often his words seemed to recall other words to Alicia's mmd, and she bit her lip. "Then you? squ will inherit," she began coldly. ''You mean that he will be part of me? that so I must come back again? I didn't think you thought of it that way. It makes it all the more incomprehensible why — " He pulled himself up, then added softly : "By George ! how the lads aud lussyss -would '9IVJO}; this garden!"' "Then if you have made up your mind never to leturn," said Alicia, flushed but argumentative, '"why not stay longer now?" ' >• The answer appalled h«r. "Shall I tell you thd truth? Because I dont want to run the risk of falling in love. It woftld o.iily complipate 1 matters." It was a relief '-tnat he said this in tlia act of leaung tho summer-house, where sho "remained fult o( startled thoughts. But she refused to follow one of them to its bitter pnd until she heard from Percival (she ( vras becoming more and more distant- and respectful .in her tnoughts of hhnjj , If iher letter caught him as it should do at Jiis lunch clv)) oho might hear by seven o'clock. So she snatched a. hasty moment to run to the post office after ' the dressing-bell ran?, and was disconqarted to find John Qosljng kicking his heels in the little shop. 'Tm waiting for a., telegram," hssaid, "and if I'd only" tnown that j-ou a letter I could have saved you 9, pretty fast run—how Hot you are ! And we sMall have to run back too." And run back together they did through the woods, hand in hand like a couple of children. -It was a- glorious moonlit night. Tho very lowers held their own against the leaves' and shone" out in faint mysterious hues like ghosts of colours, and the sweet peas showed like moths on 'the shadowy ridge. "There is your letter," said John Gosling's voice, startling Alicia, as she sat after dinner on the old stone- bench by the dial. "I went down to fetch it when your father staited for h,is parish' meetiOg."' " - • * "Did you get your telegram," she a&ked idly. He, nodded and 16ft her; no doubt, she thought, because upon the envelopo rau the legend "Week End Whispers, 502, Fleet'-stre^t."' She read the letter "by Bhe moonlight. It was qujtet.-a $iee — q^ite • a modern one. It exposed modified content. A bore,' no dou,bt, hut neither of them cared much for. money, as money, but as amusemeal. And there would be enough for two — strictly ,for two. Of course she needn't consider "herself tied to him, and then it ended jokily with a quotation from his article of the morning above his signatyije — "Your loving Boy, Piggy." Underneath this was a postscript. "He really looked quite a- decent fellow, seen from a distance." ( , The decent fellow was standing beside her as she looker 1 up. "I expect your fathei ' will bo back directly," he said. "These parish councils are a bit of a farce, and I want to say something to you be'fpro.he comes — you see I leavo at 5 a'-m. to-morrow." She stood up, feeling her heatt beat. What was h«- going' to say? • 1 "I. wanted to give' you inyr-I Te'ally ought to soy" our ' w'eddm'g present, for it is as much my brothers' as.' mine." And with that he put ' a telegram into her hand. It ran thus—' 1 "Wo both agree. Please draw up deed relying on .tmr signatures." "What— what 'does it mean?" she asked quickly. • "tt means," he ro'plied, "that the entail 'is Tiroken by consent. That your father can .leave yOu tho o}d, houso and the money and— and everything." "I — I don't. understand," she murmured. "Don't yon?" he replied smi'ing. "I do. It means that you can marry tho man you Jove, that you can live here — that your children-*- ' lie parsed and looked round. A faint breeze, swaying the sweet #ea hedge and ruflling the ro&s-bushes, seemed to give 3iidden life to the garden, as if children were playing hide-and-seek amongst tha flowers. And- behind them, the old dial threw its black- meaningless moon it shadow on the measured hours, annihilating Time. So might the first man aud woman have stood in the goiden of Eden, before the woman forfeited her womanhood. And then with a rush Alicia realised many things She realised thnt she was at heart "a ruthless mother, who would sacrifice* even. a possible husband to the claims of the nursery." "Thank you,'.' she said kindly but firmly. "It. was very good of you— and your brothers ; but I don't want a wedding present — because I'm not going -to bo married at least riot so far as I know — at present," she added in- a lower tone. There was a, long pause, and then his voice came jvith an odd tremble in it . "Miss, Alicia ! Havo you any objection to my telling your father that I am not leaving at 5 a.m. to-morrow?" Tho moon cast their long shadows closer together, a nightingale suddenly struck into &ong from the Portugal laurel. "I thought you were afraid of falling in love," she said M'ith immense distinctness. "I'll risk that," ho replied moving a step nearer. "But what exduse can you possibly give to father?" she asked evasively. "I 6ftall say that I waiit to catch another 'Ammophija Arsinoctbonuß," he replied, and ehe was silent.