! you mean hound!" hiccoughed Tom, trying to wrest himself
from the strong restraining hand laid upon his collar. "If only I can
get at you, I'll----"

The threat was nipped in the bud by the rector. "Is that you, Dixon?"
he asked, in a low, authoritative tones. "Just come down and open the
door, please. I found Burney like this, and brought him home; and keep
out of sight, will you? I've no intention of being landed in a
quarrel."

There was a smothered exclamation of surprise, the window was closed,
and, in another moment, the lower door was thrown wide to admit the
rector and his charge. By a rapid signal Mr. Curzon directed Dixon to
conceal himself in an angle of the staircase, whilst he gave Tom a
helping hand up the staircase to the room which Dixon indicated with a
nod. Once safely inside, he placed him on the bed and came away,
closing the door behind him.

"He won't come out again to-night, I think," he said to Dixon, who
followed him to the door.

"Oh no, sir; I'll see to that," replied the man, with a rather
unpleasant smile. "I'll turn the key on him, and unlock the door again
before he wakes in the morning. I'm sorry you've had all this trouble.
I tried my best to get him to come along quietly with me, but I had to
leave him to himself at last; he was so desperate quarrelsome. He's a
quick temper at any time, and he's just mad when he's drunk."

"Which has not been very often, I think," interposed the rector. "But
in the last few months, I fear he has fallen into bad company. Good
night, Dixon."

"We shan't hear the end of this in a hurry. What business has he
prowling about the place at this time of night, I should like to know?"
grumbled Dixon aloud, as he closed the door. "Bad company, indeed!
He'll see for himself that I'm not drunk, whatever that fool Tom may
be."

Meanwhile the rector pursued his way home in less joyful mood than
before he had stumbled across poor Tom Burney; he was sorely troubled
about him as, for a long time, he had been one of the most promising
young fellows in the place. He let himself quietly into the rectory,
shading the light with his hand as he passed the door of Kitty's room;
but a half-stifled cry of "Daddy!" arrested his steps. He pushed open
the door and entered, crossing with swift, light tread to her bedside.
The frightened look in the child's eyes died away as she looked into
the smiling face.

"What does my little Kitty mean by lying awake