He leaned far into the night. It was densely dark, and had been raining. Soft scud drifted over his face; clouds in loose solution drenched the earth. He smoked fiercely, inhaling great draughts and driving them out into the fog. Being no thinker, his sensations took no body, but he broke out now and again with pishes and pshaws, or scornfully--“Old Nevile--hungry devil, what? Stalking about like a beast. Oh, she was right, she was right. Pish! And there's an end of it.” He was aware of softly moving feet below--a measured tread. He listened and heard them beyond dispute. “Nevile!” he said, “like a beast, padding about his place.” He listened on, grimly amused. Let him pad and rage. But he was to be startled. A voice hailed him, not Ingram's. “Beg your pardon, sir.” “Hulloa!” he cried. “Who are you, my man?” “Glyde, sir. Is all well?” “What do you mean, Glyde? What are you doing?” “I was passing, sir, to my houses. I heard voices, and I wondered--” “Oh!” he laughed. “You thought there was a scrap, did you? It's all right, Glyde. I and the master were having a talk. Nothing for you to worry about. I shared his lonely meal. Don't you be disturbed.” “No, no, sir. Thank you, sir.” Chevenix called to him when he was at some distance. “I say, Glyde.” “Yes, sir?” “You can go to bed. It's all right.” “Thank you, sir. Good-night.” He chuckled as he undressed. “Rum fish, Glyde. Watch and ward, what? Watching his shield. Bless her, she's got friends, then.” He considered for a while, flicking the glowing end of his cigar. “That chap--Senhouse--Jack Senhouse. I wonder what's become of him.” VIII The discrepancies of an unfortunate party caused no disturbance to the staff of Wanless Hall. Sanchia, whatever her private cares--and they seemed less than those of other people on her account--suffered nothing to interfere with her housekeeping. Ingram might rage for her in vain, Chevenix agonise, or quarrel with his host and friend, Mrs. Devereux disapprove to the point of keeping her room; but Sanchia, with front serene, moved from office-table to kitchen, to the garden, to the home-farm, interviewed Mrs. Benson, consulted with the stockman, pored--her head close to Clyde's--over seed-pans and melon borders, was keenly interested, judicial, reflective, pleading, coaxing by turns--seemed, in fact, not to have a perplexity in her fair head. Her health was superb, she never had an ache nor failed of an appetite. To see her sitting in the stable-yard on a sunny morning, her lap full of nozzling fox-hound pups, was to have a vision of Artemis Eileithyia. So, it seemed, the grave mother-hound, erect on haunches, with wise ears, and sidelong eyes showing the white, knew her certainly to be. Beside and over her stood Frodsham of the stables, and his underlings, firmly her friends. She looked up, beaming. “Oh, Frodsham; aren't they sweet? One of them tries to suck my finger. What are you going to call them? I do hope you mean to keep them all.”