The man went through the movement of searching his pockets.

'Lost that too?' said his entertainer, with some surprise.

'I am afraid so,' said the man with some confusion. 'Give it to me in a
screw of paper.' Lighting his pipe at the candle with a suction that
drew the whole flame into the bowl, he resettled himself in the corner
and bent his looks upon the faint steam from his damp legs, as if he
wished to say no more.

Meanwhile the general body of guests had been taking little notice of
this visitor by reason of an absorbing discussion in which they were
engaged with the band about a tune for the next dance. The matter being
settled, they were about to stand up when an interruption came in the
shape of another knock at the door.

At sound of the same the man in the chimney-corner took up the poker and
began stirring the brands as if doing it thoroughly were the one aim of
his existence; and a second time the shepherd said, 'Walk in!' In a
moment another man stood upon the straw-woven door-mat. He too was a
stranger.

This individual was one of a type radically different from the first.
There was more of the commonplace in his manner, and a certain jovial
cosmopolitanism sat upon his features. He was several years older than
the first arrival, his hair being slightly frosted, his eyebrows bristly,
and his whiskers cut back from his cheeks. His face was rather full and
flabby, and yet it was not altogether a face without power. A few grog-
blossoms marked the neighbourhood of his nose. He flung back his long
drab greatcoat, revealing that beneath it he wore a suit of cinder-gray