And yet you leave your poor brother Robert without any brandy, to say
nothing of me, your father. Good heavens, Laura! what would your
mother have said? Think of accidents, think of sudden illness, think of
apoplectic fits, Laura. It is a very grave res--a very grave respons--a
very great risk that you run."

"I hardly touch the stuff," said Robert curtly; "Laura need not provide
any for me."

"As a medicine it is invaluable, Robert. To be used, you understand,
and not to be abused. That's the whole secret of it. But I'll step
down to the Three Pigeons for half an hour."

"My dear father" cried the young man "you surely are not going out upon
such a night. If you must have brandy could I not send Sarah for some?
Please let me send Sarah; or I would go myself, or--"

Pip! came a little paper pellet from his sister's chair on to the
sketch-book in front of him! He unrolled it and held it to the light.

"For Heaven's sake let him go!" was scrawled across it.

"Well, in any case, wrap yourself up warm," he continued, laying bare
his sudden change of front with a masculine clumsiness which horrified
his sister. "Perhaps it is not so cold as it looks. You can't lose
your way, that is one blessing. And it is not more than a hundred
yards."

With many mumbles and grumbles at his daughter's want of foresight, old
McIntyre struggled into his great-coat and wrapped his scarf round his