“Run for a doctor,” called Macduff. “Where is he to be taken to? Go on some of you turning over the heap. Look for Mrs. Kite, she must be there. Confound the obstinacy of the woman. I shall be blamed for this, of course. Always so. The saddle put on the wrong horse. Some of you get water, and wash his face, and see where the lad is hurt. Please stand back, Thomasine, you can do no good. I will go back and help to find Mrs. Kite. Why the de’il could she not have come forth when bidden? She had warning enough given her.” Then he returned to the cottage. He was now himself so covered with dust that the natural colour of his face and the tincture of his garments could not be distinguished. Looking up from inside the cottage was like looking into a London fog. There was a great gap where the chimney had stood, the roof was stripped of its covering and the principals were inclined out of their proper positions. “Well,” said Macduff. “Have you come on her?” “We haven’t come on nothing but Arkie Tubb,” answered one of the men. “There’s a lot of rummage more to be cleared away.” “Look sharp about it,” said the agent. “If she be buried, the only chance of life for her is to be dug out at once.” “Not much chance of life, then,” said one of the men. A quarter of an hour passed, and Patience had not been exhumed. A diversion of interest was caused by the arrival of the surgeon. He examined the young man, and pronounced that, though he was not dead, he was so injured that he could not live beyond an hour. The last heap of fallen chimney-ruin had been cleared away, and Mrs. Kite had not been found. “She has been spirited away,” said the men. “We always knew she was a wise woman.” “I wouldn’t have had this happen,” growled Macduff, “not for ten pounds—I mean, two pounds ten. What a handle this will give to the enemy!” ----- Footnote 1: As already said, this is an actual case. The magistrates’ order was issued in February 1887, and has been defied to present date, September 1889. CHAPTER XXV. BAMBOOZLED. Lord Lamerton was that day engaged in distributing prizes at a ploughing match, about fifteen miles away from Orleigh. “My dear,” said he to his wife before he started, “for goodness’ sake come with me into the avenue, and give me the heads of what I am to say.” Report had it that his lordship got all his speeches from his wife, and report was not far wrong in so saying. “I’ll run up to Eggins,” he said, “and get him to give me some wrinkles about ploughing. I know nothing concerning it.” Thus primed, partly by one of his farmers and partly by his wife, his lordship started for the ploughing match; and on reaching the ground inspected the furrows with his glass to his eye, and repeated some of the scraps of information he had gathered from Eggins. After that came the dinner, and after the dinner the prize distribution, and a speech from Lord Lamerton.