“C. Q.”; or, In the Wireless House
there isn’t any need to declare anything,—but I usually do just for form’s sake.”
At this juncture the boy returned with the drinks and the subject was abruptly dropped only to be resumed upon his departure. Lily handed him a crown and brushed aside the change.
“Q” he chortled, and disappeared.
“Beastly nuisance!—that Customs business,” drawled Ashurst. “The beggars bore the life out of a fellow! And those damn ’declarations.’ Even if one wanted to put anything down one couldn’t remember it! I usually write’ one pipe—2 and 6,’ and let it go at that.”
“It would n’t do me much good to declare a pipe, Ashurst,” remarked Lily lazily. “What do you suppose the women do who really have a lot of things—jewelry, for instance? Nobody ever pays on anything, so far as I can see. But suppose the inspectors really looked?”
“Why, as you say, nobody ever pays on jewelry,” said the bride. “It ’s so easy to hide. How on earth could they ever find a lot184
