u advise?' he says.
'Well,' I says, 'I don't know as I'm right in givin' you no advice at
all, havin' run away from them as has the care on you,' I says; 'but if
_I_ was a young gen'leman as didn't want to be ketched, I should just
walk on to Dufferton; it ain't on'y three mile or so, and you'll 'ave
time for to do it before the up-train comes along there.' 'Thankee,
porter,' he says, 'I'll do that,' and away he bolts, and for anything I
know, he's 'arf way there by this time."

"A fly!" shouted the Doctor excitedly, when Tommy had come to the end of
his veracious account. "I'll catch the young rascal now--who has a good
horse? Davis, I'll take you. Five shillings if you reach Dufferton
before the up-train. Take the----"

The rest was lost in the banging of the fly door and the rumble of
wheels; the terrible man had been got safely off on a wrong scent, and
Paul fell back amongst the lumber in his closet, faint with the suspense
and relief.

Presently he heard Tommy's chuckling whisper through the keyhole: "Are
you all right in there, sir? he's safe enough now--orf on a pretty
dance. You didn't think I was goin' to tell on ye, did ye now? I ain't
quite sech a cur as that comes to, particular when a young gent saves me
from the 'orrors, and gives me a 'arf-suffering. I'll see you through,
you make yourself easy about that."

Half an hour went slowly by for Mr. Bultitude in his darkness and
solitude. The platform gradually filled, as he could tell by the tread
of feet, the voices, and the scent of cigars, and at last, welcome
sound, he heard the station bell ringing for the up-train.

It ran in the next minute, shaking the cupboard in which Paul crouched,
till the brushes rattled. There was the usual blind hurry and confusion
outside as it stopped. Paul waited impatiently inside. The time passed,
and still no one came to let him out. He began to grow alarmed. Could
Tommy have forgotten him? Had he been sent away by some evil chance at
the critical moment? Two or three times his excited fancy heard the
fatal whistle sound for departure. Would he be left behind after all?

But the next instant the door was noiselessly unlocked. "Couldn't do it
afore," said honest Tommy. "Our guv'nor would have seen me. Now's your
time. Here's a empty first-class coach I've kept for ye. In with you
now."

He hoisted Paul up the high footboard to an empty compartment, and shut
the door, leaving him to sink down on the luxurious cushio