er, I have
the honour to bid you, each and every, good day."

So saying, the Major bowed and turning, limped into the house.

CHAPTER VII

WHICH RELATES HOW THE POACHER ESCAPED

The rising sun made a glory in the east, purple, amber and flaming
gold; before his advent sombre night fled away and sullen mists rolled
up and vanished; up he came in triumphant majesty, his far-flung, level
beams waking a myriad sparkles on grass and leaf where the dew yet
clung; they woke also the blackbird inhabiting the great tree whose
spreading boughs shaded a certain gable of the Manor. This blackbird,
then, being awake, forthwith prepares to summon others to bid welcome
to the day, tunes sleepy pipe, finds himself astonishingly hoarse,
pauses awhile to ruminate on the wherefore of this, tries again with
better effect, stretches himself, re-settles a ruffled feather and
finally, being broad awake, bursts into a passionate ecstasy of throaty
warblings.

It was at this precise moment that the Major thrust cropped head from
his open lattice and leaned there awhile to breathe in the dawn's sweet
freshness and to feast his eyes upon dew-spangled earth. And beholding
noble house and stately trees with smiling green fields beyond where
goodly farmsteads nestled, all his own far as the eye could see and
farther, he drew a deep and joyous breath, contrasting all this with
his late penury. Now, as he leaned thus in the warm sun, his wandering
eye fell upon a small isolated outbuilding, its narrow windows strongly
barred, its oaken door padlocked. Instantly the Major drew in his head
and began to dress; which done, he clapped on his peruke and opening
the door with some degree of care, stepped forth of his chamber, and,
carrying his shoes in his hand, tiptoed along the wide gallery, and,
descending the great stairs with the same caution, proceeded to a
certain small room against whose walls were birding-pieces,
fishing-rods, hunting-crops, spurs and the like. From amid these
heterogeneous articles he reached down a great key and slipping it into
his pocket, proceeded to furtively unbar, unlock and let himself out
into the young morning. Outside he put on his shoes and descending
marble steps and crossing trim lawns presently arrived at a forbidding
oaken door, which he opened forthwith.

The poacher lay half-buried among a pile of hay in one corner but at
the Major's entrance started up, disclosing a pale, youthful face,
whose