Page:The Duke Decides (1904).djvu/122

 “Positively; the honor of my house forbids it.”

The General tried to look pensive—a difficult matter to a gentleman of iron visage and bushy eyebrows.

“I am not going to ask questions,” he said almost plaintively, without mentioning that there were some he had no need to ask and others which he fully intended to answer himself. “I am here to give advice, and it is to get out of London into the open, so that your friends can look after you. Professors of crime find their art more difficult in the country, where every gossiping woman in the village street is a possible witness. I want your Grace to go down to Prior’s Tarrant, and allow me the honor of accompanying you as a guest.”

The suggestion was met by a blank negative, and caused the Duke to rise and pace the room in more agitation than he had yet shown.

“Why, the very place is hateful to me since last Sunday night,” he exclaimed. “You would realize that yourself, General, if you had been introduced to those silent fumes stealing down the chimney. I was thinking of going to some hotel by the sea when Forsyth