Neck Whi they were waiting for Jelks, I strolled away because I didnt want to hear any more of the things that Lady Turton was saying to her husband, But 1 was back in time to see the butler returning, followed now by the other woman, Carmen Ta Rosa, who made a rush forthe hostess. Natalia! My dear Nata-ial What have they done to ‘Oh shut up.’ the hostess said. ‘And get out of the way, will Sir Basil took up a position close to his lady's head, waiting for Jelks. Jelks advanced slowly, carrying a saw in one hand, axe in the other, and he stopped maybe a yard away. He then held out both implements in front of him so his mast ‘ould choose, and there was a brief moment ~ no more tha and of waiting, and It just this time, I saw the hand rward an extra fraction of an wo oF three seconds ~ of silen hhappened that { was watching that was carrying the axe com: inch towards Sir Basil. It was so slight a movement it was barely noticeable ~ a tiny pushing forward of the hand, slow and secret, a little offer, alittle coaxing offer that was accom panied perhaps by an infinitesimal lft of the eyebrows. Tim not sure whether Sir Basil saw it, but he hesitated, and again the hand that held the axe came edging forward, and it was almost exactly like that card trick where the man says Take one, whichever one you want,” and you always get the he means you to have. Sir Basil got the axe. T saw him Teach out in a dreamy sort of way, accepting it from Jelks, and then, the instant he felt the handle in his grasp he seemes to realize what was required of him and he sprang to life. For me, after that, it was ike the awful moment wien you sce a child running out into the road and a car is coming and all you can do is shut your eyes tight and wait until the noise tells you it has happened. The moment of waiting becomes a ong lucid period of time with yellow and red spots dancing fon a black field, and even if you open your eyes again and Find that nobody has been killed or hurt, it makes no difference because 50 far as you und your stomach were concerned you saw it all 150 Neck T sew this one all right, every detail of i, and 1 di my eyes again until I heard Sir Basil's tae usual, calling in gentle protest tothe but ‘Jelks,’ he was saying, and I looked and saw him standing there as ealm as you please, still holding the axe. Lady Turton's head was there 100, sil sticking through the hole, but her face hnad turned a terrible ashy grey, and the mouth was opening and shutting and making a kind of gurgling sound ‘Look here, Jelks, Sir Basil was saying. ‘What on earth are you thinking about. This thing's much too dangerous. Give me ihe saw” And as he exchanged implements T noticed for the fitst time two little warm roses of colour appearing on his cheeks, and above them, all around the corners of is eyes, the ‘inkling tiny wrinkles of a smile,