r had been in the saddle all day, and,
as Janet brought the note into the room, Mary stood up as though to
defend her uncle from any further invasion on his rest.

"A note from the house, miss," said Janet: now "the house," in
Greshamsbury parlance, always meant the squire's mansion.

"No one ill at the house, I hope," said the doctor, taking the note
from Mary's hand. "Oh--ah--yes; it's from the squire--there's nobody
ill: wait a minute, Janet, and I'll write a line. Mary, lend me your
desk."

The squire, anxious as usual for money, had written to ask what
success the doctor had had in negotiating the new loan with Sir
Roger. The fact, however, was, that in his visit at Boxall Hill, the
doctor had been altogether unable to bring on the carpet the matter
of this loan. Subjects had crowded themselves in too quickly during
that interview--those two interviews at Sir Roger's bedside; and he
had been obliged to leave without even alluding to the question.

"I must at any rate go back now," said he to himself. So he wrote to
the squire, saying that he was to be at Boxall Hill again on the
following day, and that he would call at the house on his return.

"That's settled, at any rate," said he.

"What's settled?" said Mary.

"Why, I must go to Boxall Hill again to-morrow. I must go early, too,
so we'd better both be off to bed. Tell Janet I must breakfast at
half-past seven."

"You couldn't take me, could you? I should so like to see that Sir
Roger."

"To see Sir Roger! Why, he's ill in bed."

"That's an objection, certainly; but some day, when he's well, could
not you take me over? I have the greatest desire to see a man like
that; a man who began with nothing and now has more than enough to
buy the whole parish of Greshamsbury."

"I don't think you'd like him at all."

"Why not? I am sure I should; I am sure I should like him, and Lady
Scatcherd, too. I've heard you say that she is an excellent woman."

"Yes, in her way; and he, too, is good in his way; but they are
neither of them in your way: they are extremely vulgar--"

"Oh! I don't mind that; that would make them more amusing; one
doesn't go to those sort of people for polished manners."

"I don't think you'd find the Scatcherds pleasant acquaintances at
all," said the doctor, taking his bed-candle, and kissing his niece's
forehead as he left the room.

CHAPTER XII

When Greek Meets Greek, Then Comes the Tug of War

The doctor, that is o