you that I know of, and I am entirely at a loss to understand your
appearance in my house!"

The girl whom Melrose addressed with this fierce mock courtesy turned on
him a perplexed face.

"I know nothing about it, sir, except that I was summoned from Manchester
last night to an urgent case, and arrived early this morning. Can't you,
sir, quiet your dogs? Mr. Faversham is very ill."

"In _my_ house!" cried Melrose, furiously. "I won't have it. He shan't
remain here. I will have him removed."

The girl looked at him with amazement.

"That, sir, would be quite impossible. It would kill him to move him.
_Please_, Mr. Dixon, help me with the dogs."

She turned imploringly to Dixon, who obediently administered various
kicks and cuffs to the noisy trio which at last procured silence.

Her expression lightened, and with the professional alertness of one who
has no time to spend in gossiping, she turned and went quickly back into
the house.

Dixon approached his master.

"That's yan o' them," he said, gloomily. "T'other's inside."

"T'other who?--what? Tell me, you old fool, at once what the whole cursed