Wanhope before tonight and so is Mrs.
Clowes. I'm not going to run away with her, as Major Clowes gave
you all to understand. What you think is of no importance
whatever to any one, what you say is equally trilling, but I
don't choose to have my servant say it: so, if you continue to
drop these interesting hints, I shall not only boot you out, but"
--he turned "I shall give you such a thrashing in the rear,
Gaston--in this direction, Gaston--that you won't be able to
sit down comfortably for a month."

"M'sieur is so droll," murmured Gaston, removing himself with
dignified agility and an unabashed grimace.

Lawrence let himself out by the back stairs again and the kitchen
--now in a state of great activity, the gas ring lit and
preparations for lunch going on apace--and forth into the yard.
Out in the open air he drew a long breath: safe in tweeds and a
felt hat, he was his own man again, but he felt as though he had
been wading in mud. The mystified Catherine followed him at a
sign into the drive. There Hyde stood still. "Take that path to
the left. You'll find your mistress waiting for you. Help her
to dress, and tell her I shall be at the lodge gates when she's
ready. And, Catherine--"

He paused, feeling an almost insuperable distaste for his job.
But it had to be done, the girl must not find him tight with his
money: that she would hold her tongue was beyond expectation, but
if well tipped at least she might not invent lies. It went
against the grain of his temper to bribe one of Bernard's maids,
but fate was not now consulting his likes or dislikes. He thrust
his hand into his pocket--"Look after your mistress, will you?"

The respectably brought up Catherine turned scarlet. She put her
hand behind her back. "I'm sure, sir, I don't want your money to
make me do that!"

"If you prick us shall we not bleed?" It was the first time that
Lawrence had ever discovered a servant to be a human being: and
his philosophical musings were chequered, till he moved out of
earshot, by the clamour of Catherine's irrepressible dismay.
"Oh madam!" he heard, and, "Well, if I ever-!" and then in a
tone suddenly softened from horror to sympathy, "there now,
there, let me get your dress off . . . ." From Mrs. Clowes came
no answer, or none audible to him.

Laura joined him in ten minutes' time, neatly dressed, gloved,
and veiled, her hair smoothed--it had never been rough so far as
Lawrence could observe--her compl