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〃IS matchmaking at all in your line？〃
Hugo Peterby asked the question with a certain amount of personal
interest。
〃I don't specialise in it；〃 said Clovis； 〃it's all right while you're doing
it； but the after…effects are sometimes so disconcerting … the mute
reproachful looks of the people you've aided and abetted in matrimonial
experiments。 It's as bad as selling a man a horse with half a dozen
latent vices and watching him discover them piecemeal in the course of
the hunting season。 I suppose you're thinking of the Coulterneb girl。
She's certainly jolly； and quite all right as far as looks go； and I believe
a certain amount of money adheres to her。 What I don't see is how you
will ever manage to propose to her。 In all the time I've known her I
don't remember her to have stopped talking for three consecutive
minutes。 You'll have to race her six times round the grass paddock for
a bet； and then blurt your proposal out before she's got her wind back。
The paddock is laid up for hay； but if you're really in love with her you
won't let a consideration of that sort stop you； especially as it's not
your hay。〃
〃I think I could manage the proposing part right enough；〃 said Hugo；
〃if I could count on being left alone with her for four or five hours。
The trouble is that I'm not likely to get anything like that amount of
grace。 That fellow Lanner is showing signs of interesting himself in
the same quarter。 He's quite heartbreakingly rich and is rather a swell
in his way； in fact； our hostess is obviously a bit flattered at having him
here。 If she gets wind of the fact that he's inclined to be attracted by
Betty Coulterneb she'll think it a splendid match and throw them into
each other's arms all day long； and then where will my opportunities
come in？ My one anxiety is to keep him out of the girl's way as much
as possible； and if you could help me … 〃
〃If you want me to trot Lanner round the countryside； inspecting
alleged Roman remains and studying local methods of bee culture and
crop raising； I'm afraid I can't oblige you；〃 said Clovis。 〃You see；
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he's taken something like an aversion to me since the other night in the
smoking…room。〃
〃What happened in the smoking…room？〃
〃He trotted out some well…worn chestnut as the latest thing in good
stories； and I remarked； quite innocently； that I never could remember
whether it was George II。 or James II。 who was so fond of that
particular story； and now he regards me with politely… draped dislike。 I'll
do my best for you； if the opportunity arises； but it will have to be in a
roundabout； impersonal manner。〃
* * * *
〃It's so nice having Mr。 Lanner here；〃 confided Mrs。 Olston to
Clovis the next afternoon； 〃he's always been engaged when I've asked
him before。 Such a nice man； he really ought to be married to some
nice girl。 Between you and me； I have an idea that he came down here
for a certain reason。〃
〃I've had much the same idea；〃 said Clovis； lowering his voice； 〃in
fact； I'm almost certain of it。〃 〃You mean he's attracted by … 〃 began Mrs。
Olston eagerly。
〃I mean he's here for what he can get；〃 said Clovis。
〃For what he can GET？〃 said the hostess with a touch of indignation
in her voice； 〃what do you mean？ He's a very rich man。 What should
he want to get here？〃
〃He has one ruling passion；〃 said Clovis； 〃and there's something he
can get here that is not to be had for love nor for money anywhere else
in the country； as far as I know。〃
〃But what？ Whatever do you mean？ What is his ruling passion？〃
〃Egg…collecting；〃 said Clovis。 〃He has agents all over the world
getting rare eggs for him； and his collection is one of the finest in Europe；
but his great ambition is to collect his treasures personally。 He stops
at no expense nor trouble to achieve that end。〃
〃Good heavens！ The buzzards； the rough…legged buzzards！〃
exclaimed Mrs。 Olston； 〃you don't think he's going to raid their nest？〃
〃What do you think yourself？〃 asked Clovis； 〃the only pair of rough…
legged buzzards known to breed in this country are nesting in your
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woods。 Very few people know about them； but as a member of the
league for protecting rare birds that information would be at his disposal。
I came down in the train with him； and I noticed that a bulky volume
of Dresser's 'Birds of Europe' was one of the requisites that he had
packed in his travelling…kit。 It was the volume dealing with short…
winged hawks and buzzards。〃
Clovis believed that if a lie was worth telling it was worth telling
well。
〃This is appalling；〃 said Mrs。 Olston； 〃my husband would never
forgive me if anything happened to those birds。 They've been seen
about the woods for the last year or two； but this is the first time they've
nested。 As you say； they are almost the only pair known to be
breeding in the whole of Great Britain； and now their nest is going to be
harried by a guest staying under my roof。 I must do something to stop
it。 Do you think if I appealed to him … 〃
Clovis laughed。
〃There is a story going about； which I fancy is true in most of its
details； of something that happened not long ago somewhere on the
coast of the Sea of Marmora； in which our friend had a hand。 A Syrian
nightjar； or some such bird； was known to be breeding in the olive
gardens of a ri