hopeless stood
that weird figure. My next impulse, without staying to consider my
dishevelled hair and loose wrapper, was to open the door and beckon the
poor man within the shelter of the verandah. When once I had got him
there I did not exactly know what to do with my guest, for neither fire
nor food could be procured quite so early. He crouched like a stray
dog down on the dripping mat outside the door, and murmured some
unintelligible words. In this dilemma I hastened to wake up poor F----,
who found it difficult to understand why I wanted him to get up at
daylight during a "sou'-wester." But I entreated him to go to the hall
door, whilst I flew off to get my lazy maids out of their warm beds.
With all their faults, they did not need much rousing on that occasion.
I suppose I used very forcible words to convey the misery of the object
standing outside, for I know that Mary was in floods of tears, and had
fastened her gown on over her night-gear, whilst I was still speaking;
and the cook had tumbled out of bed, and was kneeling before the kitchen
fire with her eyes shut, kindling a blaze, apparently, in her sleep.

As soon as things were in this forward state, I returned to the
verandah, and found our swagger guest drawing a very long breath after
a good nip of pure whisky which F---- had promptly administered to him.
"I'm fair clemmed wi' cold and wet," the swagger said, still bundled up
in his comparatively sheltered corner. "I've been out on the hills the
whole night, and I am deadbeat. Might I stop here for a bit?" He asked
this very doubtfully, for it is quite against swagger etiquette to
demand shelter in the morning. For all answer he was taken by the
shoulder, and helped up. I never shall forget the poor tramp's
deprecating face, as he looked back at me, whilst he was being led
through the pretty little dining-room, with its bright carpet, on which
his clay-clogged boots and dripping garments left a muddy, as well as
a watery track. "All right," I said, with colonial brevity; and so we
escorted our strange guest through the house into the kitchen, where the
ever-ready kettle and gridiron were busy preparing tea and chops over
a blazing fire. Of course the maids screamed when they saw us, and I
do not wonder at their doing so, for neither F---- nor I looked very
respectable, with huddled on dressing-gowns and towzled hair; whilst our
foot-sore, drenched guest subsided into a chair by the door, covered
his wret