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 entirely an idea which had promised to be the nucleus of an excellent plot. And, lastly, passing through the hall but an instant before, he had met Violet carrying the coffee and the evening post to the study, and she had given him two long envelopes addressed in his own handwriting. He was brooding over these, preparatory to opening them, at the very moment when Adolf addressed him.

"Eggscuse," said Adolf, opening the paper.

James's eyes gleamed ominously.

"Zere are here," continued Adolf, unseeing, "zome beyond-gombarison hard vords vich I do nod onderstand. For eggsample"

It was at this point that James kicked him.

Adolf leaped like a stricken chamois.

"Vot iss?" he cried.

With those long envelopes in his hand James cared for nothing. He kicked Adolf again.

"Zo!" said the student, having bounded away. He added a few words in his native tongue, and proceeded. "Vait! Lizzun! I zay to you, vait! Brezendly, ven I haf dze zilver bolished und my odder dudies zo numerous berformed, I do Herr Blazzervig vill vith von liddle szdory vich you do know go. Zo!"

He shot off to his lair.

James turned away and went on down the passage to restore his nervous tissues with coffee.

Meanwhile, in the study, leaning against the mantelpiece in moody reflection, Mr. Blatherwick was musing sadly on the hardships of the schoolmaster's life. The

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