"Oh, that's another matter! You do it for fun, God bless you! you're a sportsman--but Jack here does it by profession. I never could stand a man who does things by profession." "All right, Squire," responded Griff; "we'll go together, Jack and I." Old Roger looked hard at him, and saw that he meant it. He stamped up and down for a while; then-- "I'm a precious fool to do it, but, if you put it that way, Jack shall have a bit longer run. Off you go, the pair of you. I say, Lomax, by the way, you'd better come and dine with me." "I can't, I'm sorry to say--I leave here to-morrow." "For good?" "For six months or so." "Why couldn't you say so? Ride over to Saxilton when you come back--send a line to Plover Court, you know. Men mostly can't fight nowadays; they're rare birds, not to be missed." "Well, I'm blowed!" muttered Jack, as he and Griff picked their way homewards. "Exactly," answered Lomax. And never a word besides did they utter till they parted at the door of the Dog and Grouse. CHAPTER XIV. FRENDER'S FOLLY. When Griff reached home and looked at himself in the glass, he was struck by the disarrangement of his features. The left eye was swollen and rapidly discolouring; his upper lip was pretty badly bruised; and a deepish cut in one cheek was still bleeding fitfully. These, and a few minor blemishes, helped to make up a picture that was far from prepossessing; it occurred to him that Kate would think it a bad start, if he appeared on the morrow in this guise. The more he thought of it, the more clearly he saw that he must get away from Marshcotes before the household was up, leaving a good-bye behind him. He stole out of his room and across the landing. A light shone under Mrs. Lomax's door, and he knocked gently. "Come in!" called the old lady, who had long ago recognized his footfall on the stairs. She was sitting up in bed, with a thick shawl drawn close about her shoulders and a book on her knees. "What! reading in the middle of the night? Fie, mother." "I have been troubled lately, dear; it takes an old woman longer to reconcile herself to a change--do you understand? Why, Griff, what _have_ you been doing to your face?" "I don't look exactly pretty, do I? I've had a lively discussion touching the rights of property, and this is the outcome." "Poaching again, boy?" sighed the mother. "I had hoped, since you came back--but, there, I might as well try to keep a duck from the water. Let me be doing something to your face, at any rate." "No, don't bother. I'll get a slice of raw beef and paste it over the eye. I want you to do something else for me, though, mother." "Well?" "You have seen me like this before, but Kate hasn't. I was going to leave to-morrow in any case. If I pack my bag now and slip off by the early coach from Heathley, will you make matters right with Kate?" "But where are you going?"