tall, where he was accommodated with ample straw. And an
order was given that as soon as he had come to himself, he should be
provided with something to eat.

"Summat to eat!" said Mrs Baggett, in extreme disgust. "Provide him
with a lock-up and plenty of cold water!"

CHAPTER XII.

MR BLAKE'S GOOD NEWS.

In the afternoon, after lunch had been eaten, there came a ring at
the back-door, and Mr Montagu Blake was announced. There had been a
little _contretemps_ or misadventure. It was Mr Blake's habit when
he called at Croker's Hall to ride his horse into the yard, there to
give him up to Hayonotes, and make his way in by the back entrance.
On this occasion Hayonotes had been considerably disturbed in his
work, and was discussing the sad condition of Mr Baggett with
Thornybush over the gate of the kitchen-garden. Consequently, Mr
Blake had taken his own horse into the stable, and as he was about
to lead the beast up to the stall, had been stopped and confused by
Sergeant Baggett's protruding wooden leg.

"'Alloa! what's up now?" said a voice, addressing Mr Blake
from under the straw. "Do you go down, old chap, and get us
three-penn'orth of cream o' the valley from the Cock."

Then Mr Blake had been aware that this prior visitor was not in a
condition to be of much use to him, and tied up his own horse in
another stall. But on entering the house, Mr Blake announced the
fact of there being a stranger in the stables, and suggested that the
one-legged gentleman had been looking at somebody taking a glass of
gin. Then Mrs Baggett burst out into a loud screech of agony. "The
nasty drunken beast! he ought to be locked up into the darkest hole
they've got in all Alresford."

"But who is the gentleman?" said Mr Blake.

"My husband, sir; I won't deny him. He is the cross as I have to
carry, and precious heavy he is. You must have heard of Sergeant
Baggett;--the most drunkenest, beastliest, idlest scoundrel as ever
the Queen had in the army, and the most difficultest for a woman
to put up with in the way of a husband! Let a woman be ever so
decent, he'd drink her gowns and her petticoats, down to her very
underclothing. How would you like, sir, to have to take up with such
a beast as that, after living all your life as comfortable as any
lady in the land? Wouldn't that be a come-down, Mr Blake? And then
to have your box locked up, and be told that the key of your bedroom
door is in the master's pocket." Thus Mrs Ba