CHAPTER III.
"MY LIBRARY WAS DUKEDOM LARGE ENOUGH."
Lord Stranleigh of Wychwood rarely allowed any expression of annoyance to escape him, but one morning at breakfast, on opening his favourite daily paper, an item that caught his eye caused him so far to forget himself that he gave utterance to the phrase:
"Dash it all!"
It says much for the training of Ponderby, who was waiting upon him, that this excellent servant never moved a muscle on hearing the unaccustomed exclamation. Whatever astonishment Ponderby felt was very effectually concealed. Stranleigh said to him, more peremptorily than usual:
"I wish, Ponderby, you would be so obliging as to telegraph my agent Wilson, asking him to take the first London train, and call on me here before luncheon."
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