"Indeed, sir--I--I--" "'Tis honestly come by!" pleadingly. "Come, Mr. Chilter, you'll not hurt my feelings by refusing? You will keep it in remembrance of a man--a fat man, Mr. Chilter--who rudely jerked you on to the road?" The clerk took it with unsteady fingers. "I thank you most--" "Nay, I beg of you. 'Tis I thank you for aiding me so kindly.... Come and see my Jenny! Well, lass?" For the mare at the first sound of his voice had turned in her loose-box, and was whinnying and pawing the ground eagerly. "I do not understand, sir, anything: how it is that you are a highwayman, or why you have honoured me with your confidence--why you should trust me. But--thank you." As he spoke, Mr. Chilter placed his hand in my lord's, and for the second time in his life, felt the pressure of those firm, kindly fingers. "Why, your honour! Ye've lost your emerald!" "No, Jim. I gave it away." "Ye--ye _gave_ it away, sir?" "M'm. To the small spider." "B-but--" "And he called me fat, too." "Called ye fat, sir?" asked the man, bewildered. "Yes. Very fat. By the way, let me tell you that I bought Jenny at Fittering to-day from the naughty ruffian who waylaid Mr. Bumble Bee." He proceeded to give Jim a sketch of what had transpired below. When he had finished the man shook his head severely. "I doubt ye'll never learn wisdom, sir," he scolded. "I? What have I done?" "What did ye want to tell it all to the spider man for, sir? 'Twas most incautious of ye. Like as not, he'll split to the fat gentleman, and we'll have the whole town at our heels." "Which just shows all you know of the small spider," replied his master calmly. "Hand me the powder." CHAPTER III INTRODUCING THE HON. RICHARD CARSTARES Wyncham! A stately old house with mullioned windows, standing high on its stone terraces, half-covered by creepers; a house surrounded by lawns, rolling down on the one side to a river that rippled and murmured its way along beneath overhanging trees and a blue sky, over boulders and rocks, so clear and sparkling that the myriad pebbles could be seen deep down on its bed. In the other direction, the velvet lawns stretched away till they met the orchards and the quiet meadowland. On two sides the house had its terraces, very white in the sunshine, with stone steps leading down to a miniature lake where water-lilies grew, and where the tiny fish darted to and fro unconcernedly. Flagged walks there were, running between flower beds a riot of colour, and solemn old trees that had stood there through all the years. Cool woodland lay beyond the little river, carpeted with dark moss, where in spring the primroses grew. So thick was the foliage of the trees that the sun but penetrated in uneven patches.