"Do, Duffham. Take Jones to help you?" "Jones be shot," returned Duff in a passion. "If I wanted any one--which I _don't_--I'd take Johnny. He is worth fifty Joneses. _Say nothing_--nothing at all. Do you understand?" He went off down a side path, and crossed Jenkins, who was at work now. Monk stayed in the greenhouse. "This is a sad calamity, Jenkins." "It's the worst _I_ ever met with, sir," cried Jenkins, touching his hat. "And what have done it is the odd thing. Monk, he talks of the candles poisoning of 'em; but I don't know." "Well, there's not a much surer poison than arsenic, Jenkins," said the doctor, candidly. "I hope it will be cleared up. Monk, too, has taken so much pains with the plants. He is a clever young man in his vocation. Where did you hear of him?" Jenkins's answer was a long one. Curtailed, it stated that he had heard of Monk "promiskeous." He had thought him a gentleman till he asked if he, Jenkins, could help him to a place as ornamental gardener. He had rather took to the young man, and recommended the Squire to employ him "temporay," for he, Jenkins, was just then falling sick with rheumatism. Mr. Duffham nodded approvingly. "Didn't think it necessary to ask for references?" "Monk said he could give me a cart-load a'most of them, sir, if I'd wanted to see 'em." "Just so! Good-day, Jenkins, I can't stay gossiping my morning away." He went straight to Mrs. Picker's, and caught her taking her luncheon off the kitchen-table--bread-and-cheese, and perry. "It's a little cask o' last year's my son have made me a present of, sir; if you'd be pleased to drink a cup, Dr. Duff'm," said she, hospitably. She drew a half-pint cup full; bright, sparkling, full-bodied perry, never better made in Gloucestershire. Mr. Duffham smacked his lips, and wished some of the champagne at gentlemen's tables was half as good. He talked, and she talked; and, it may be, he took her a little off her guard. Evidently, she was not cognizant of the mishap to the greenhouse. A nice young man that lodger of hers? Well, yes, he was; steady and well-conducted. Talked quite like a gentleman, but wasn't uppish 'cause o' that, and seemed satisfied with all she did for him. He was gone off to Evesham after seeds and other things. Squire Todhetley put great confidence in him. "Ay," said Mr. Duffham, "to be sure. One does put confidence in steady young men, you know, Goody. He was off by four o'clock, wasn't he?" Earlier nor that, Goody Picker thought. Monk were one o' them who liked to take time by the forelock, and get his extra work forrard when he were put on to any. "Nothing like putting the shoulder to the wheel. This _is_ perry! The next time I call to see your son Peter, at Alcester, I shall ask him if he can't get some for me. As to Monk--you might have had young fellows here who'd have idled their days away, and paid no rent, Goody. Monk was at his work late last night, too, I fancy?"