Dagworthy was absent not quite a fortnight, and he returned looking anything but the better for his holiday. The wholesome colour of his cheeks had changed almost to sallowness those who met him in Dunfield looked at him with surprise and asked what illness he had been suffering. At the mill, they did not welcome his re-appearance; his temper was worse than it had been since the ever-memorable week which witnessed his prosecution for assault and battery. At home, the servants did their best to keep out of his way, warned by Mrs. Jenkins. She, good woman, had been rash enough to bring the child into the dining-room whilst Dagworthy was refreshing himself with a biscuit and a glass of wine upon his arrival; in a minute or two she retreated in high wrath. 'Let him dom me, if he loikes,' she went away exclaiming; 'ah'm ovver auld to care much abaht such fond tantrums; but when he gets agaate o' dommin his awn barn, it fair maaks my teeth dither ageean. The lad's aht on his 'eead.' That was seven o'clock in the evening. He dined an hour later, and when it was dark left the house. Between then and midnight he was constantly in and out, and Mrs. Jenkins, who was kept up by her fears that 't' master' was seriously unwell, made at length another attempt to face him. She knocked at the door of the sitting-room, having heard him enter a minute or two before; no answer was vouchsafed, so she made bold to open the door. Dagworthy was sitting with his head upon the table, his arms stretched out; he appeared to be asleep. 'Mr. Richard!' she said softly. 'Mr. Richard!' He looked up. 'Well? What is it?' 'Yo' scahr'd me; ah thowt summat 'ad come to yo'. What's wrong wi' yo', Mr. Richard? You look as if you could hardly he'd your heead up.' To her surprise he spoke quite calmly. 'Yes, I've got a bit of a headache. Get me some hot water, will you? I'll have some brandy and go to bed.' She began to advise other remedies, but Dagworthy speedily checked her. 'Get me some hot water, I tell you, and go to bed yourself. What are you doing up at this hour?' He went to business at the usual time next morning, and it seemed as if the worst had blown over; at home he was sullen, but not violent. The third day after his return, on entering his office at the mill, he found Hood taking down one of a row of old ledgers which stood there upon a shelf. 'What are you doing?' he asked abruptly, at the same time turning his back upon the clerk. Hood explained that he was under the necessity of searching through the accounts for several years, to throw light upon a certain transaction which was giving trouble. 'All right,' was the reply, as Dagworthy took his keys out to open his desk.