ave to do more, if you're to get rid of me. How about money?"

This abrupt question fairly staggered the captain, who broke out--

"Money! Didn't you drain me of every penny I had in London?"

The fellow laughed coarsely.

"What did you drain the regimental mess of, I should like to know? You
needn't think you're out of that wood. Now, I shall want L200 for my
month in town. I mean to enjoy myself."

The captain laughed dismally. "Where are you going to get it from?"

"You. Look sharp!"

"I tell you, Ratman, I haven't any money. You can't get blood out of a
stone."

"Then you must give me a bill--at a month."

"No, no! I won't begin that," said the captain, who had fibre enough
left in him to know that a bill was the first plunge into an unknown
region of financial difficulty. "If you're bent on ruining me in any
case, for heaven's sake do it at once and have done with it. Remember,
you bring down more than me. Whatever I may be, they don't deserve it."

"For their sake, then, give me the bill. Bless you, any one can put his
hand to paper. Consider yourself lucky I don't insist on taking it out
in hard cash."

It was no use arguing or protesting with a man like this. The captain
flung himself miserably into a chair and scrawled out the ill-omened
document.

Ratman snatched it up with a grunt of triumph.

"That's more like," said he. "What's the use of all that fuss? Plenty
of things can happen in a month. Order the dogcart in half an hour."

The abrupt departure of Captain Oliphant's guest might have excited more
remark than it did, had not another departure from Maxfield that same
day thrown it somewhat into the shade.

True to her promise, or rather threat, Miss Rosalind had packed up her
things and had them transported to the Vicarage.

It was not without a pang that she uprooted herself from her
surroundings in Maxfield, or bore the protests of Roger, the tears of
Jill, and the chaff of Tom for her desertion.

"It's not that you're not all awfully kind," said she to the first that
afternoon, when the party was assembled in his room. "You are too
kind--that's why I'm going."

"If a little of the opposite treatment would induce you to stay," said
Roger, "I'd gladly try it. Don't you think it's a little unkind of her
to go when we all want her to stay--eh, Armstrong?"

"That depends," said Mr Armstrong diplomatically. "I should be
inclined to say no, myself."

"Thank you, M