Class 11 English 2024 Edition www.tntextbooks.in · Section 67

colour; it runs in her family. I say, this is where I get out.” “Good-bye,” said Sletherby. “You’ve forgotten the three quid,” said the young man, opening the carriage- door and pitching his suit-case on to the platform. “I’ve no intention of lending you three pounds, or three shillings,” said Sletherby severely. “But you said–” “I know I did. My suspicions hadn’t been roused then, though I hadn’t necessarily swallowed your story. The discrepancy about the crests put me on my guard, notwithstanding the really brilliant way in which you accounted for it. Then I laid a trap for you; I told you that I had never met Mrs. Saltpen-Jago. As a matter of fact I met her at lunch on Monday last. She is a pronounced blonde.” The train moved on, leaving the soi-disant cadet of the Saltpen-Jago family cursing furiously on the platform. “Well, he hasn’t opened his fishing expedition by catching a flat,” chuckled Sletherby. He would have an entertaining story to recount at dinner that evening, and his clever little trap would earn him applause as a man of resource and astuteness. He was still telling his adventure in imagination to an attentive audience of dinner guests when the train drew up at his destination. On the platform he was greeted sedately by a tall footman, and noisily by Claude People, K.C., who had apparently travelled down by the same train. “Hullo, Sletherby! You spending the week-end at Brill? Good. Excellent. We’ll have a round of golf together to-morrow; I’ll give you your revenge for Hoylake. Not a bad course here, as inland courses go. Ah, here we are; here’s the car waiting for us, and very nice, too!” The car which won the K.C.’s approval was a sumptuous-looking vehicle, which seemed to embody the last word in elegance, comfort, and locomotive power. Its graceful lines and symmetrical design masked the fact that it was an enormous wheeled structure, combining the features of a hotel lounge and an engine-room. “Different sort of vehicle to the post-chaise in which our grandfathers used to travel, eh?” exclaimed the lawyer appreciatively. And for Sletherby’s benefit he began running over the chief points of perfection in the fitting and mechanism of the car. Sletherby heard not a single word, noted not one of the details that were being expounded to him. His eyes were fixed on the door panel, on which were displayed two crests: a greyhound courant and a demi-lion holding in its paw a cross- crosslet. -C-SR-A Shot In The - - :