r to you; he shall be made to repent this
as long as he lives. This insult to me (and of course to you also) shall
be amply atoned for. If you will have the goodness to deliver him over
to my hands, I will carry him back at once to Market Rodwell, and
to-morrow, sir, to-morrow, I will endeavour to awaken his conscience in
a way he will remember!"

The Doctor was more angry than an impartial lover of justice might
perhaps approve of, but then it must be remembered that he had seen
himself completely outwitted and his authority set at nought in a very
humiliating fashion.

However, his excessive wrath cooled Paul's own resentment instead of
inflaming it; it made him reflect that, after all, it was he who had the
best right to be angry.

"Well," he said, rather coldly, "we must find him first, and then
consider what shall be done to him. If you will allow me I will ring
and----"

But before he could lay his hand upon the bell the library door opened,
and Uncle Marmaduke made his appearance, dragging with him the unwilling
Dick: the unfortunate boy was effectually sobered now, pale and
trembling and besmirched with coal-dust--in fact, in very much the same
plight as his ill-used father had been in only three hours ago.

There was a brazen smile of triumph on Mr. Paradine's face as he met
Paul's eyes with a knowing wink, which the latter did not at all
understand.

Such audacity astonished him, for he could hardly believe that Paradine,
after his perfidious conduct in the billiard-room, could have the clumsy
impudence to try to propitiate him now.

"Here he is, my boy," shouted Paradine; "here's the scamp who has given
us all this trouble! He came into the billiard-room just now and told me
who he was, but I would have nothing to do with him of course. Not my
business, as I told him at the time. Then--(I think I have the pleasure
of seeing Dr. Grimstone? just so) well, then you, sir, arrived--and he
made himself scarce. But when I saw him in the act of making a bolt up
the area, where he had been taking shelter apparently in the
coal-cellar, I thought it was time to interfere, and so I collared him.
I have much pleasure in handing him over now to the proper authorities."

And, letting Dick go, he advanced towards his brother-in-law, still with
the same odd expression of having a secret understanding with him, which
made Paul's blood boil.

"Stand where you are, sir," said Paul to his son. "No, Dr. Grimstone,
allo