"Let him eat his lordship's stuff," he said, with a chuckle. "An' the master ought to ha' been a lord, miss. The way he put down his lordship's amazen. They do nowt but talk about it every night at the `Half-Moon.'" "Now, nail up that long loose strand, Thomas," said Veronica hastily. "Ay, miss, I'll nail him," said the man, climbing the ladder once more; "but would you mind asking the master, miss, to give me something for my back?" "Why don't you ask him yourself?" "I did, miss, four times over; and he always says the same. `Go to the properly qualified doctor,' he says,--just as if there was any one in these parts o' such guid quality as he is. Nay, miss, you might speak to him for me: he did me a wonderful lot o' guid once. Mint iles is nothing to that tincture as he gives me. I say it, and I'll say it agen--Wo ho!" (This to the ladder, which shifted a little, and had to be rearranged against the wall.) "--Agen anybody," continued Thomas, with a shred in his lips. "The master's a wonderful doctor, and he ought to ha' been a lord." Just then the Doctor called his child. "Coming, papa." "Here's young Master Rolleston coming along the road, miss," continued Thomas, hammering away at his bines. "Not much like his father, he ain't. Wouldn't ha' ketched him sticking shutter-boards up in the very front o' people's houses, and wanting to cut down the trees. Nice young gent, he is, as ever stepped, miss. Very different to my lord, and-- Hullo, when did she go?" said the gardener, looking round to find that his young mistress had gone. "Ah! I see. Gone into the house 'cause Mr Rolleston's coming. Tck! Shouldn't be a bit surprised to hear them two asked in church some day; and a very pretty pair they'd make. Mum! here's the master." Thomas went on hammering away; for the Doctor, who had been to the gate to meet his visitor, had received him coldly, and slowly led him into the room where Veronica was seated. "Well, Mr Rolleston, may I ask the meaning of this visit?" he said, after a conscious greeting between the young people. "Doctor Salado, pray, pray don't take that tone with me!" cried Denis appealingly. "What other tone can you expect, after the treatment I have received?" "I know, sir. It has been most painful; but I have come to apologise." As he spoke he glanced at Veronica, who was seated, looking pale and troubled, with her eyes cast down. "Oho! An apology? That alters the case. Then his lordship is apologetic, and acknowledges that he is in the wrong?" The young man flushed. "I--I regret to say, sir, that my father does not know of my visit." "Then you have came to apologise for him without his leave?" "No, sir; I have come to apologise for myself, and to ask you not to think ill of my father." "Humph! Very right of you to defend your father, young man."