Gurd is getting too big for his shoes and seems to think he's
called upon to preach sermons to his customers, besides doing his duty
as a publican. If I want sermons I can go to church for them, not to an
inn. Give me some supper and a bottle of your best claret. I'm tired and
bothered."

A customer was a customer and Mrs. Northover had far too much experience
to take up the cudgels for her friend over the way. She guessed pretty
accurately at the subject of Richard Gurd's discourse, yet wondered that
he should have spoken. For her own part, while quite as indignant as
others and more sorry than many that this cloud should have darkened a
famous local name, she held it no personal business of hers.

"I'll see what cold meat we've got. Would you like a chicken, sir?"

"No--beef, and plenty of it. And let me have a room."

Job Legg, concealing the mighty matters in his own bosom, soon waited
upon Raymond and found him in a sulky humour. The claret was not to his
liking and he ordered spirits. He began to smoke and drink, and from an
unamiable mood soon thawed and became talkative. He bade Job stay and
listen to him.

"I've got a hell of a lot on my mind," he said, "and it's a relief to
talk to a sensible man. There aren't many knocking about so far as I can
see."

He rambled on touching indirectly, as he imagined, at his own affairs,
but making it clear to the listener that a very considerable tumult
raged in Raymond's own mind. Then came Mrs. Northover, told the guest
that it was nearer two o'clock than one, and hoped he was soon going to
bed.

He promised to do so and she departed; but the faithful Job, himself not
sleepy, kept Raymond company. Unavailingly he urged the desirability of
sleep, but young Ironsyde sat on until he was very drunk. Then Mr. Legg
helped him upstairs and assisted him to his bed.

It was after three o'clock before he retired himself and found his mind
at liberty to speculate upon the issue of his own great adventure.

CHAPTER XX

A CONFERENCE

Jenny Ironsyde came to see Ernest Churchouse upon the matter of the
marriage. She found him pensive and a little weary. According to his
custom he indulged in ideas before approaching the subject just then
uppermost in all minds in Bridetown.

"I have been suffering from rather a severe dose of the actual," he
said; "at present, in the minds of those about me, there is no room for
any abstraction. We are confronted with facts--painf