ome.

He waited till it was quite dark that he might the better bring her into
her own house without being seen, and buttoned her inside his topcoat,
nay, even in his passion tearing open his waistcoat and his shirt that
she might lie the closer to his heart. For when we are overcome with
the greatest sorrow we act not like men or women but like children
whose comfort in all their troubles is to press themselves against their
mother's breast, or if she be not there to hold each other tight in one
another's arms.

When it was dark he brought her in with infinite precautions, yet not
without the dogs scenting her after which nothing could moderate their
clamour.

Having got her into the house, the next thing he thought of was to hide
her from the servants. He carried her to the bedroom in his arms and
then went downstairs again.

Mr. Tebrick had three servants living in the house, the cook, the
parlour-maid, and an old woman who had been his wife's nurse. Besides
these women there was a groom or a gardener (whichever you choose to
call him), who was a single man and so lived out, lodging with a
labouring family about half a mile away.

Mr. Tebrick going downstairs pitched upon the parlour-maid.

"Janet," says he, "Mrs. Tebrick and I have had some bad news, and Mrs.
Tebrick was called away instantly to London and left this afternoon, and
I am staying to-night to put our affairs in order. We are shutting up
the house, and I must give you and Mrs. Brant a month's wages and ask
you to leave to-morrow morning at seven o'clock. We shall probably go
away to the Continent, and I do not know when we shall come back. Please
tell the others, and now get me my tea and bring it into my study on a
tray." Janet said nothing for she was a shy girl, particularly before
gentlemen, but when she entered the kitchen Mr. Tebrick heard a sudden
burst of conversation with many exclamations from the cook.

When she came back with his tea, Mr. Tebrick said: "I shall not require
you upstairs. Pack your own things and tell James to have the waggonette
ready for you by seven o'clock to-morrow morning to take you to the
station. I am busy now, but I will see you again before you go."

When she had gone Mr. Tebrick took the tray upstairs. For the first
moment he thought the room was empty, and his vixen got away, for he
could see no sign of her anywhere. But after a moment he saw something
stirring in a corner of the room, and then behold! sh