k up the parable.

"Th' old man be mortal weak an' faint for sure," he said. "I come upon
'im lyin' under a tree wi' a mossel book aside 'im, an' I takes an'
looks at the book, an' 'twas all portry an' simpleton stuff like, an' 'e
looked old enough to be my dad, an' tired enough to be fast goin' where
my dad's gone, so I just took 'im along wi' me, an' giv' 'im my name an'
purfession, an' 'e did the same, a-tellin' me as 'ow 'is name was D.
David, an' 'ow 'e 'd lost 'is office work through bein' too old an'
shaky. 'E's all right,--an office man aint much good on the road, weak
on 'is pins an' failin' in 'is sight. M'appen the 'arf-crown we've got
'im 'ull 'elp 'im to a ride part o' the way 'e's goin'."

"Well, don't you men bother about him any more," said Miss Tranter
decisively. "You get off early in the morning, as usual. _I'll_ look
after him!"

"Will ye now?" and Peke's rugged features visibly brightened--"That's
just like ye, Miss! Aint it, Tom? Aint it, Bill?"

Both individuals appealed to agreed that it was "Miss Tranter all over."

"Now off to bed with you!" proceeded that lady peremptorily. "And leave
your collected 'fund' with me--I'll give it to him."

But Tom o' the Gleam would not hear of this.

"No, Miss Tranter!--with every respect for you, no!" he said gaily.
"It's not every night we can play angels! I play angel to my kiddie
sometimes, putting a fairing in his little hammock where he sleeps like
a bird among the trees all night, but I've never had the chance to do it
to an old grandad before! Let me have my way!"

And so it chanced that at about half-past eleven, Helmsley, having lain
down with a deep sense of relief and repose on his clean comfortable
little bed, was startled out of his first doze by hearing stealthy steps
approaching his door. His heart began to beat quickly,--a certain vague
misgiving troubled him,--after all, he thought, had he not been very
rash to trust himself to the shelter of this strange and lonely inn
among the wild moors and hills, among unknown men, who, at any rate by
their rough and uncouth appearance, might be members of a gang of
thieves? The steps came nearer, and a hand fumbled gently with the door
handle. In that tense moment of strained listening he was glad to
remember that when undressing, he had carefully placed his vest, lined
with the banknotes he carried, under the sheet on which he lay, so that
in the event of any one coming to search his clothes, no