“He did that twice,” he said. “Pearson caught him at it, though Palliser didn’t know he did. He’d have done it three times, or more than that, perhaps, but I casually mentioned in the smoking-room one night that some curious fool of a gardener-boy had thrown some stones and frightened Strangeways, and that Pearson and I were watching for him, and that if I caught him, I was going to knock his block off--_bing_! He didn’t do it again. Darned fool! And he’d better not try it again when he comes back,” remarked Tembarom. Miss Alicia’s surprised expression made him laugh. “Do you think he will come back?” she exclaimed, “after such a long visit?” “Oh, yes, he’ll come back. He’ll come back as often as he can until he’s got a chunk of my income to treble--or until I’ve done with him.” “Until you’ve done with him, dear?” she said inquiringly. “Oh, well,” he said casually, “I’ve a sort of idea that he may tell me something I’d like to know. I’m not sure; I’m only guessing. But even if he knows it, he won’t tell me until he gets good and ready, and thinks I don’t want to hear it.” He would not talk any more of Captain Palliser or allow her to talk of him. He began to make jokes, and led her to other subjects. He asked her to go to the Hibblethwaites’ cottage and pay a visit to Tummas. He had learned to understand his accepted privileges in the making of cottage visits by this time; and when he clicked any wicket-gate, the door was open before he had time to pass up the wicket-path. They called at several cottages, and he nodded at the windows of others where faces appeared as he passed by. They had a happy morning together, a pleasant drive in the afternoon, and a cozy evening in the library. About nine o’clock he laid his paper aside and spoke to her. “I’m going to ask you to do me a favor,” he said. “I couldn’t ask it if we weren’t alone like this. I know you won’t mind. I’m going to ask you to go to your room rather early. I want to try a sort of stunt on Strangeways. I want to bring him down-stairs if he’ll come. I’m not sure I can get him to do it; but he’s been a heap better lately, and perhaps I can.” “Is he so much better as that?” she said. “Will it be safe?” He looked as serious as she had ever seen him look, even a trifle more serious. “I don’t know how much better he is,” was his answer. “Sometimes you’d think he was almost all right, and then--The doctor says that if he could get over being afraid of leaving his room, it would be a big thing for him. He wants him to go to his place in London so that he can watch him.” “Do you think you could persuade him to go?” “I’ve tried my level best, but so far nothing doing.” He got up and stood before the mantel, his back against it, his hands in his pockets.