useful advice, a couple o' guineas and my liberty and limped serenely
off."

Here my Lord Medhurst proceeded to finish what remained of his supper
while Betty sat, chin in hand, staring at the dormer window just now
glowing with sunset.

"To-morrow there's no moon. I shall start to-morrow, Bet."

"Faith and you'll not, Charles!"

"Aye, but I will. Look'ee Bet, I'm determined----"

"See here, Charles--so am I!"

"Pish, girl!" said he, looking dignified.

"Tush, boy!" said she, kissing him.

"Nay but, dear Bet, I've your safety at heart and therefore----"

"But, dearest Charles, you've no money in your pocket--and therefore!"

"Egad and that's true enough!" said he ruefully.

"So you'll be ruled by me, boy, and stay here until I think you are fit
for travel."

"What o' the servants?"

"This part of the house is empty and--I'll manage the servants!"

"There's Aunt Belinda, she's an infernal sharp nose, Bet."

"Nay, I'll manage Aunt Belinda."

"Why then, what of this Dalroyd?"

"O!" said my lady, knitting black brows, "I'll manage him also."

"Look'ee Bet, I'll allow you've a head, but this fellow's dangerous."

"How so, Charles?"

"Well, he's not afraid o' ghosts for one thing----"

"Ghosts?"

"Y'see Bet, when I reached Westerham my difficulty was to get word with
you and for the first night and day or so I lay hid in the ruined mill.
And having nought better to do, I started to haunt the place and by
means of an old sack and a pair of ram's horns I contrived to be a
sufficiently convincing ghost----" Here his lordship chuckled.

"'Twas madness, Charles."

"So 'twas and yet, I vow----" His lordship chuckled again.

"But what of Mr. Dalroyd, Charles?"

"Faith, he took such a plaguy interest in the haunted mill that I left
it and took to haunting the churchyard instead--used to hide in a
mouldy vault----"

"Charles!" cried Lady Betty and shuddered.

"Finally he and his fellow hunted me out o' that and here I am.
Haunting hath its drawbacks and 'twould have saved me much of
discomfort had you received the letter I writ you and sent by the
little girl."

"Tell me again what was in it, Charles."

His lordship scratched his head and wrinkled youthful brow.

"So far as I remember, Bet, I writ you these words: 'Meet me at
midnight in your garden with fifty guineas for your loving and
misfortunate fugitive, Charles.'"

Lady Betty set her chin on white fist and stared at her brother so