ntleman there unexpected. If there's one thing I'm afeard of, it's a
quarrel between gentlemen in my house. So, doctor, for the love of
peace, don't you go anear the cottage. I'll tell you everything if you
listen to me."

The doctor, who had snatched up his hat and made a rapid step towards
the door, came back and seized hold of his visitor's shoulder, all his
benignity having been put to flight by her unlooked-for revelation.
"Look here! I want the truth, and no gossip! What do you mean--what
gentleman? What is it all about?" cried Dr Rider, hoarse with sudden
passion.

"Oh, bless you, doctor, don't blame it upon me, sir," cried Mrs Smith.
"It ain't neither my fault nor my business, but that you've always been
kind, and my heart warms to Miss. It's the gentleman from Australia as
has come and come again; and being an unmarried gentleman, and Miss--you
know what she is, sir--and I ask you, candid, Dr Rider, what was anybody
to suppose?"

The doctor grew wildly red up to his hair. He bit his lips over some
furious words which Carlingford would have been horrified to hear, and
grasped Mrs Smith's shoulder with a closer pressure. "What did she tell
you?" said the doctor. "Let me have it word for word. Did she say she
was going away?--did she speak of this--this--fellow?" exclaimed the
doctor, with an adjective over which charity drops a tear. "Can't you
tell me without any supposes, what did she say?"

"I'm not the woman to stand being shook--let me go this minute, sir,"
cried Mrs Smith. "The Australian gentleman is a very nice-spoken civil
man, as was always very respectful to me. She came into my back-parlour,
doctor, if you will know so particular--all shining and flashing, like
as she does when something's happened. I don't make no doubt they had
been settling matters, them two, and so I told Smith. 'Mrs Smith,' said
Miss, in her hasty way, enough to catch your breath coming all of a
sudden, 'I can't stand this no longer--I shall have to go away--it ain't
no good resisting.' Them were her very words, Dr Rider. 'Get me out the
big boxes, please,' said Miss. 'It's best done quietly. You must take
your week's notice, Mrs Smith, from this day;' and with that she kept
moving about the room all in a flutter like, not able to rest. 'Do go
and get me out those boxes; there's always a ship on the 24th,' she
says, taking up my knitting and falling to work at it to keep her hands
steady. 'The day afore Christmas!' says I; 'a