Beasley had begun to speak, and his voice, loud and clear, sounded overthe wind. "Come right in, Colonel!" he exclaimed. "I'd have sent a carriagefor you if you hadn't telephoned me this evening that your rheumatismwas so bad you didn't expect to be able to come. I'm glad you're wellagain. Yes, they're all here, and the ladies are getting up a quadrillein the sitting-room."

(It was at this moment that I received upon the calf of the right leg akick, the ecstatic violence of which led me to attribute it to Mr.Dowden.)