quiet the dogs.

"I'll uphold yer!" muttered Dixon, following slowly after; "it's the
queerest do-ment that iver I knew!"

"Madam! I should like to know what your business is here. I never invited
you that I know of, and I am entirely at a loss to understand your
appearance in my house!"

The girl whom Melrose addressed with this fierce mock courtesy turned on
him a perplexed face.

"I know nothing about it, sir, except that I was summoned from Manchester
last night to an urgent case, and arrived early this morning. Can't you,
sir, quiet your dogs? Mr. Faversham is very ill."

"In _my_ house!" cried Melrose, furiously. "I won't have it. He shan't
remain here. I will have him removed."

The girl looked at him with amazement.

"That, sir, would be quite impossible. It would kill him to move him.
_Please_, Mr. Dixon, help me with the dogs."

She turned imploringly to Dixon, who obediently administered various
kicks and cuffs to the noisy trio which at last procured silence.

Her expression lightened, and with the professional alertness of one who
has no time to spend in gossiping, she turned and went quickly back into
the house.

Dixon approached his master.

"That's yan o' them," he said, gloomily. "T'other's inside."

"T'other who?--what? Tell me, you old fool, at once what the whole cursed
business is! Are you mad or am I?"

Dixon eyed him calmly. He had by this time summoned to his aid the
semi-mystical courage given him occasionally by his evangelical faith. If
it was the Lord's will that such a thing should happen, why it was the
Lord's will; and it was no use whatever for Mr. Melrose or any one else
to kick against the pricks. So with much teasing deliberation, and
constantly interrupted by his angry master, he told the story of the
accident on the evening before, of Doctor Undershaw's appearance on the
scene, and of the storming of the Tower.

"Well, of all the presuming rascals!" said Melrose with slow fury, under
his breath, when the tale was done. "But we'll be even with him! Send a
man from the farm, at once, to the cottage hospital at Whitebeck. They've
got an ambulance--I commission it. It's a hospital case. They shall see
to it. Be quick! March!--do you hear?--I intended to quit of them--bag
and baggage!"

Dixon did not move.

"Doctor said if we were to move un now, it 'ud be manslaughter," he said
stolidly, "an' he'd have us 'op."

"Oh, he would, would he!" roared Melrose, "I'll see to