't bear the sight
of loafers and ne'er-do-wells. Why don't you go
where you're welcome? _(goes up stage to archway)_

{Izod.} Where's that? I've mislaid the address.
_(Christie goes to L.)_

{Gil.} _(in archway)_ Christie, tell the Squire that
I have brought two men with me--young Rob Johns,
the fiddler's son, and a newspaper chap.

{Chris.} _(at L., C.)_ Very well. And your dinner
is waiting for you, Mr. Hythe, _(pointing to door L.)_
and has been this half-hour.

{Gil.} My dinner--oh, yes. Izod, old fellow, eat
my dinner for me; I'm busy.

{Chris.} _(gratefully)_ Thank you, Mr. Hythe.

{Gil.} And then pull yourself together, man, and
work.

_(Gil. goes off up stage, through archway. Chris.
comes quickly to Izod, who gets to C. Christie
goes up stage and looks after Gilbert.)_

{Chris.} Tell me, dear, dear, dear, where did you
find that key ring?

_(Izod looks round cautiously.)_

{Izod.} _(pointing to windows above archway)_ I
cleaned those windows here last week, and badly paid
I was for the job.

{Chris.} Well?

{Izod.} On that beam which is broad enough for a
man to crawl along, I found this bunch of keys.

{Chris.} What does that mean?

{Izod.} Look here, _(he goes up stage R. C., to the
stonework which runs up to the coping)_ Do you see
this? An easy flight of steps up to that window
sill.

{Chris.} What of it?

{Izod.} _(pointing to the ivy running up the wall)_
The ivy is old and strong enough--if you clutch it,
no fear of falling.

{Chris.} What of it?

{Izod.} _(removing some of the leaves from the
stonework)_ Look there--footprints--where a boot
has kicked away the old crust from the stones.

{Chris.} _(in an earnest whisper)_ What of it?

{Izod.} _(pointing above)_ More footprints up there,
stopping at that window, and under the window this
key-ring, without a speck of rust on it.

{Chris.} _(earnestly)_ Tell me what you think--tell
me what you mean!

{Izod.} _(comes down to her)_ I mean that that is
the Squire's room, and that this bunch of keys belongs
to the man who seems more anxious than anyone
in the parish to be in the Squire's company. I
mean that if the Squire wants to entertain a visitor
unbeknown to you o