ly grieve to hear, sir, for your honour's sake, her
ladyship's and--my sake!"

"And why yours, Zeb?"

"Sir, if you was to wed my lady and vicey-versey, the which I did hope,
why then belike I might do the same with Mrs. Agatha and versey-vicey."

"God--bless--my soul!" exclaimed the Major.

"She's a pro-digious fine figure of a woman, your honour!"

"She is so, Zeb, she is indeed. But I had no idea----"

"Nor did I, sir, till a few days ago and then it came on me--ah, it
come on me like a flash, your honour, quick as a musket-ball!"

"Then, if she's willing, Zeb, marry by all means and before I go
I'll----"

"Begging your pardon, sir, can't be done--not to be thought on--if you
wed why then I wed, if so be as she'll have me, sir, and vicey-versey,
but if you don't, I don't and versey-vicey as in dooty bound, sir."

"But, if you love each other--why not, Zeb?"

"Because sir, you a bachelor, me a bachelor now and for ever, amen!"

"A Gad's name--why?"

"Your honour, 'tis become a matter o' dooty wi' me d'ye see."

"You're a great fool, Sergeant, aye--a fool, Zebedee, but a very
faithful fool, Zeb!"

"Aye sir! And yonder's Inchbourne!" said the Sergeant, pointing to a
hamlet bowered amid trees in the valley below them.

The thatched cottages of Inchbourne village stood upon three sides of a
pleasant green and in this green was a pool shaded by willows and fed
by a rippling brook.

"'Tis a mighty pretty place!" said the Major.

"Aye, sir--to look at--from a distance, but there ain't a cottage as
aren't damp, nor a roof as don't leak like a sieve. Still 'tis pretty
enough I'll not deny, though 'tis an ill-conditioned folk lives there,
your honour, hang-dog rascals, poachers and the like----"

"And small wonder if things be so bad, ill-conditions beget roguery,
Zeb, I marvel what Jennings can have been doing to let things come to
such a pass!"

"Co-lecting rents mostly, sir!"

"You've no particular regard for Mr. Jennings, Zebedee."

"I never said so, your honour."

"He complained of you once, Zebedee----"

"Sir, the same month as you and me come a-marching into this here
estate said Jennings turned old Bet Seamore out of her bit o' cottage
whereupon I dooly ventured a objection----"

"Hum!" mused the Major, staring down at the peaceful hamlet. "He will
be awaiting us----"

"At the d'Arcy Arms!" nodded the Sergeant.

"Jennings was agent here in my uncle's time and bears an irreproachable