"That's the idea," said Tony, "but there's no need to be rough or unkind about it. All I want to do is to get them into the sitting-room in a sufficiently chastened frame of mind to answer a few civil questions. It oughtn't to be difficult unless they have got revolvers."
"Revolvers!" repeated Mrs. Spalding in some distress. "Oh, dear, dear! You will be careful, won't you, Sir Antony?"
"I shall," said Tony: "extremely careful."
He walked to the hall table and picked up the blackthorn that he had left lying there. "I don't think I shall want this," he remarked, "but perhaps——"
He broke off abruptly, as a faint sound from outside suddenly reached his ear.
"Listen!" he said softly. "What's that?"
There was a moment's pause, and then quite clearly came the unmistakable click of the front gate.
Swiftly and quietly Tony stepped back to the sitting-room door.
"Here they are!" he announced with a cheerful smile. "Take it coolly: there's heaps of time."
Considering the abrupt nature of the crisis, it must be admitted that both Mrs. Spalding and Bugg rose to the occasion in the most creditable fashion. In three strides the latter had disappeared up the staircase, while if Mrs. Spalding was a shade less precipitous, it was only because she was not so well fitted by nature for sudden and violent transitions.