"By Gladstone!" he roared; and, thrusting his book into his pocket, he ran down the lawn, and, leaping the hedge, passed through to the open, furzy piece of land, where, full in view now, two men were plying their woodmen's axes rapidly, and making the white chips fly as a ghastly notch began to appear in the side of one of the outer trees. "Hi! what are you doing?" roared the Doctor, just as Veronica reached the bottom and looked over. The two men stopped, and rested the heads of their axes on the ground as they grinned. "Cuttin' down the trees, sir," said one of the men. "What! By whose orders?" "Lordship's, sir. Sent us up, and he's comin' hisself soon." "Do you mean to say that his lordship gave orders for this beautiful clump of trees to be cut down?" "Yes, sir." "But it will disfigure the estate horribly." "Well, sir, my mate and the head gardener said as it were a pity." "Oh, it's a mistake, man. You are cutting down the wrong trees." "Nay, sir; these here's right. Lordship said bottom o' the Sandleighs garden. Can't be no mistake about that." "Then it's an insult to me," said the Doctor furiously; "and it shall not be done. Here, come away directly." The men looked at one another, and smiled uneasily. "Do you hear? I say it shall not be done." "But his lordship said--" "Something his lordship!" roared the Doctor. "You strike a blow, either of you, again on one of those trees, and I'll strike you. There!" "Papa!" cried Veronica from the garden; but the Doctor was too angry to hear that or anything else. "Beg pardon, sir, here is his lordship," whispered one of the men; and Lord Pinemount came cantering up over the short turf and furze. "Here, what's the meaning of this?" he cried. "Why are you not going on with your work? Two of these trees ought to be down by now. Who is this man?" He had so far ignored the Doctor; and as Veronica saw the impending collision she tried to get through the hedge, but stuck fast. The Doctor flushed, but spoke very quietly, as he raised his hat. "Lord Pinemount, I believe?" he said. "Yes," said Lord Pinemount. "Who the devil are you? How dare you trespass on my grounds and delay my workpeople?" The Doctor's lips worked under his stiff beard, and he could not speak for a moment. "Do you hear me, sir? Be off!" cried his lordship, who was pale with rage. "You men get on with your job." The men touched their hats, spat in their hands, and swung up their axes; and Veronica saw things through a mist, but started as much as Lord Pinemount did, for the Doctor roared, in a voice of thunder,-- "Stop!" And the men stopped. "How dare you!" cried his lordship, white now with fury. "What the devil do you mean? Of all the insolence! Go on, men, at once; and as for you, sir, I have already instructed the police for your destruction of my property. Now I shall proceed against you for trespass."