I'm a justice
of the peace."

Thick and stifled as it was, the voice was familiar. I looked again,
and screamed out, "Lord Erymanth, is it you?"

That roused him, and as I took hold of both hands and bent over him, he
looked up, dazzled and muttering, "Lucy, Lucy Alison! Arghouse! How
came I here?" and then as the hot cordial came at last, in the hand of
Richardson, who had once been in his service, he swallowed it, and then
leant back and gazed at me as I went on rubbing his hands. "Thank you,
my dear. Is it you? I thought I was snowed up, and I have never
signed that codicil about little Viola, or I could die easily. It is
not such a severe mode, after all."

"But you're not dying, you're only dreaming. You are at Arghouse.
Harold here found you and brought you to us."

And then we agreed that he had better be put to bed at once in
Eustace's room, as there was already a fire there, and any other would
take long in being warmed.

Harold and Eustace got him upstairs between them, and Richardson
followed, while I looked out with dismay at the drifting snow, and
wondered how to send either for a doctor or for Lady Diana in case of
need. He had been a childless widower for many years, and had no one
nearer belonging to him. Dora expressed her amazement that I did not
go to help, but I knew this would have shocked him dreadfully, and I
only sent Colman to see whether she could be of any use.

Harold came out first, and on his way to get rid of his snow-soaked
garments, paused to tell me that the old gentleman had pretty well come
round, and was being fed with hot soup and wine, while he seemed half
asleep. "He is not frost-bitten," added Harold; "but if he is likely
to want the doctor, I'd better go on to Mycening at once, before I
change my things."

But I knew Lord Erymanth to be a hale, strong man of his years, little
given to doctors, and as I heard he had said "No, no," when Eustace
proposed to send for one, I was glad to negative the proposal from a
man already wet through and tired--"well, just a little."

Our patient dropped asleep almost as soon as he had had his meal, in
the very middle of a ceremonious speech of thanks, which sent Eustace
down to dinner more than ever sure that there was nothing like the
aristocracy, who all understood one another; and we left Richardson to
watch over him, and sleep in the dressing-room in case of such a
catastrophe as a rheumatic waking in the night.

We we