He had given me a
suspicious number of openings to prove that the right lay with my
party. It seemed to me that, on half a hint, this man meant to
desert. Yes, and his wife--I recalled her words--held him in some
trap. And yet, recalling her face, I could not shake off the fancy
that she, rather than he, stood in need of help.

Pondering all this, still with my eyes closed, I dropped asleep in
good earnest.

I awoke from a sleep of many hours, to see old Pascoe standing at the
bed's foot. No doubt his entrance had disturbed me.

He carried my boots in one hand, a can of hot water in the other, my
stockings and a clean shirt across his arm; and he announced that the
hour was four o'clock, and at half-past four Sir Luke and his lady
would be dining. If I felt myself sufficiently recovered, they
desired the pleasure of my company.

I sat upright on the bed. My head yet swam, but sleep had refreshed
me, and a pull at the wine--which had stood all this while untasted--
set me on pretty good terms with myself. I bade the old man carry my
compliments to his lady and tell her that I will thankfully do her
pleasure. 'But first,' said I, 'you must stand by and see me into a
clean shirt.'

He did more. The stab in my upper arm had bled a little, and the
shirt-sleeve could not be pulled from it without pain. He drew a
pair of scissors from his side-pocket and cut the linen away from
around the wound: and then, having noted my weakness, helped me to
wash and dress, drew on stockings and boots for me, nor left me until
he had buckled on my sword-belt, and then only with an excuse that he
must change his coat before waiting at table. Sir Luke and Lady
Glynn (he assured me) would be by this time awaiting me in the
dining-room.

Sure enough I found them there, my lady standing by the midmost
window and gazing down upon the park, Sir Luke by the fireplace with
an arm resting on the high mantel-ledge and one muddied boot jabbing
at the logs of a new-made fire till the flame roared up the chimney.
I wondered what madness could command so huge a blaze in the month of
August (albeit 'twas the last of the month), until he turned and I
saw that he had been drinking heavily.

It seemed that Lady Glynn had not heard me enter, for as I paused, a
little within the doorway, she leaned forward without turning and
pushed open a lattice of the window. I supposed that she did this to
abate the heat of the fire in the room. But