because we had no horses."

"Where is he?" inquired the hostess.

"At dice with those other gallants from town."

"At dice quotha? And she's gone, you say?" asked Mrs. Quinn,
pausing in her labours squarely to face her husband.

"Aye," said he.

"Stupid!" rejoined his docile spouse, vexed by his laconic
assent. "Do you mean she has run away?"

"Tis what anyone might take from what I have told you," he
answered sweetly.

"And you have lent her horses and helped her to get away, and
you leave her husband at play in there?"

"You have seen her marriage lines, I make no doubt," he sneered
irrelevantly.

"You dolt! If the gentleman horsewhips you, you will have
richly earned it."

"Eh? What?" gasped he, and his rubicund cheeks lost something
of their high colour, for here was a possibility that had not
entered into his calculations. But Mistress Quinn stayed not
to answer him. Already she was making for the door, wiping the