nd the larger houses a field
or two. "Yes, sir, master is at home. If you'll please to ring the
bell, one of the girls will come out." This was said by Mrs Baggett,
advancing almost over the body of her prostrate husband. "Drunken
brute!" she said, by way of a salute, as she passed him. He only
laughed aloud, and looked around upon the bystanders with triumph.

At this moment Mr Whittlestaff came down through the gate into the
road. "Oh, Mr Gordon! good morning, sir. You find us rather in
a disturbed condition this morning. I am sorry I did not think
of asking you to come to breakfast. But perhaps, under all the
circumstances it was better not. That dreadful man has put us sadly
about. He is the unfortunate husband of my hardly less unfortunate
housekeeper."

"Yes, sir, he is my husband,--that's true," said Mrs Baggett.

"I'm wery much attached to my wife, if you knew all about it, sir;
and I wants her to come home with me. Service ain't no inheritance;
nor yet ain't wages, when they never amounts to more than twenty
pounds a-year."

"It's thirty, you false ungrateful beast!" said Mrs Baggett. But in
the meantime Mr Whittlestaff had led the way into the garden, and
John Gordon had followed him. Before they reached the hall-door, Mary
Lawrie had met them.

"Oh, Mr Whittlestaff!" she said, "is it not annoying? that dreadful
man with the wooden leg is here, and collecting a crowd round the
place. Good morning, Mr Gordon. It is the poor woman's ne'er-do-well
husband. She is herself so decent and respectable, that she will be
greatly harassed. What can we do, Mr Whittlestaff? Can't we get a
policeman?" In this way the conversation was led away to the affairs
of Sergeant and Mrs Baggett, to the ineffable distress of John
Gordon. When we remember the kind of speeches which Gordon intended
to utter, the sort of eloquence which he desired to use, it must be
admitted that the interruption was provoking. Even if Mary would
leave them together, it would be difficult to fall back upon the
subject which Gordon had at heart.

It is matter of consideration whether, when important subjects are
to be brought upon the _tapis_, the ultimate result will or will not
depend much on the manner in which they are introduced. It ought
not to be the case that they shall be so prejudiced. "By-the-by, my
dear fellow, now I think of it, can you lend me a couple of thousand
pounds for twelve months?" Would that generally be as efficacious
as