Jan looked keenly at the handsome, haggard face. There was no pretence here. The man was gravely ill. His lips (Jan had always mistrusted his well-shaped mouth because it would never really shut) were dry and cracked and discoloured, the cheekbones sharp, and there was that deep hollow at the back of the neck that always betrays the man in ill-health. She went to him and pressed him back in the chair. "What do you generally do when you have fever?" she asked. "Go to bed--if there is a bed; and take quinine and drink hot tea." "That's what you'd better do now. Where are your things?" "There's a small bag at the station. They promised to send it up. I couldn't carry it and I had no money to pay a boy. I came the long way round, Jan, not through the village. No one recognised me." "I'll get you some tea at once, and I have quinine in the house. Will you take some now?" Hugo laughed. "Your quinine would be of no earthly use to me, but I've already taken it this morning. I've got some here in my pocket. The minute my bag comes I'll go to bed--if you don't mind." Someone fumbled at the handle of the door, and Tony, followed by William, appeared on the threshold. Hugo Tancred opened his eyes. "Hullo!" he said. "Do you remember me, young shaver?" Tony came into the room holding out his hand. "How do you do?" he said solemnly. Hugo took it and stared at his son with strange glazed eyes. "You look fit enough, anyhow," he said, and dropped the little hand. "I came as quick as I could," Tony said eagerly to Jan. "But Mr. Dauncey caught a trout, and I _had_ to wait a minute." "Good heavens!" Hugo exclaimed irritably. "Do you all _still_ think and talk about nothing but fishing?" "Come," said Jan, holding out her hand to Tony, "and we'll go and see about some breakfast for Daddie." William, who had been sniffing dubiously at the man in the chair, dashed after them. As they crossed the hall Tony remarked philosophically: "Daddie's got fever. He'll be very cross, then he'll be very sad, and then he'll want you to give him something, and if you do--p'raps he'll go away." Jan made no answer. Tony followed her through the swing door and down the passage to speak to Hannah, who was much moved and excited when she heard Mr. Tancred had arrived. Hannah was full of sympathy for the "poor young widower," and though she could have wished that he had given them notice of his coming, still, she supposed him to be so distracted with grief that he forgot to do anything of the kind. She and Anne Chitt went there and then to make up his bed, while Jan boiled the kettle and got him some breakfast. While she was doing this Meg and little Fay came round to the back to look for Tony, whom they found making toast. "Who's tum?" asked little Fay, while Jan rapidly explained the situation to Meg. "Your Daddie's come." Little Fay looked rather vague. "What sort of a Daddie?" she asked.