defeated until at last he was obliged
to fall back upon the assistance of his friend, and ask him, as a last
resource, to help him out of his difficulty.

As the shades of evening crept silently on, and the cooler air began
to assert itself over the torrid atmosphere of the day, Sir Everard
Crowleigh opened the campaign on behalf of his companion by suggesting
that a walk would not only be refreshing to the two maidens, but also
positively beneficial. "I don't pretend to know much of the skill
of the leech," he added, "but I think that fresh country air is the
finest physic out for young ladies, both for health and beauty too."

"And maybe 'tis good for gentlemen as well," laughed Dorothy.

"It is the true elixir of life, for which the alchemysts labour in
vain to find," exclaimed Manners. "Sir Benedict knows leechcraft, let
us take his opinion upon its merits.

"Nay," laughingly responded Margaret, "Cousin Benedict, I fear, is too
much engaged in other affairs to attend to us just now."

"Why, how?" asked Crowleigh in surprise, "surely no one would be
ungallant enough not to lend their services to two such fair maidens.
Never! I cannot conceive it."

"Margaret means," interposed Dorothy, "that he has been taking too
much wine again, and then he goes wandering about the cellars and
passages until he falls down and goes to sleep. Nobody takes any
notice of him now, though, we have all got too familiar with his
ways."

"Well, we will go," decided the elder sister, "but which way--north,
south, east, or west? Bakewell, Rowsley, or where? Let us determine
quickly, for it will soon be dark."

"We are at your service," gallantly responded John Manners. "Any way
will suit us equally well." Certainly, provided that the walk was long
enough, the direction they should take was of little importance to
him. He had a more important matter on his mind.

"Let it be Rowsley way, Margaret," asked Dorothy.

"Well, then," she agreed, "we will say Rowsley, 'tis a pretty walk;
but we might first see our venerable protector in safety, then nothing
could be nicer. Follow me, brave gentlemen," said Margaret, and
the two girls led the way through the banqueting-room and down the
stone-flagged passage into the capacious wine cellar below.

Benedict was not there, but it was evident, from signs which could
not be mistaken, that he had been there shortly before. All the
neighbouring cellars were thoroughly explored, but to no purpose;