He encouraged the bailiff to take a second glass of claret, and talked over local interests with him for ten minutes or so, while his dog-cart was being brought round; and then, Mr. Blake having withdrawn, he went to the drawing-room where Juanita was sitting at work by a lamp-lit table, and wished her good night. “Did you find Jasper intelligent?” she asked, eagerly. “Very intelligent.” “And did you find out all you wanted from him?” “Not quite all. He told me very little that I did not know before; but there were one or two facts that may be useful. Good night, Nita, good night, and good-bye.” “Not for long,” she answered. “You will spend Christmas at home, of course.” “Yes, I shall go home for the Christmas week, I suppose.” “You will have something to tell me by that time, perhaps. You will be on the track.” “Don’t be too sanguine, Nita. I will do my uttermost.” “I am sure you will. Ah, you don’t know how I trust you, how I lean upon you. God bless you, Theodore. You are my strong rock. I, who never had a brother, turn to you as a sister might. If you can do this thing for me—if you can avenge his cruel death——” “If—what then, Juanita?” he asked, paling suddenly, and his eyes flaming. “I shall honour—esteem you—as I have never done yet; and you know I have always looked up to you, Theodore. God bless and prosper you. Good night.” Her speech, kind as it was, fell upon his enthusiasm like ice. He was holding both her hands, almost crushing them unawares in his vehemence. Then his grip loosened all at once, he bent his head, gently kissed those slender hands, muttered a husky good night, and hurried from the room. CHAPTER XI. “The God of love—_ah, benedicite_! How mighty and how great a Lord is he!” A week later Theodore Dalbrook was established in chambers on the second floor of No. 2, Ferret Court, Temple. Ferret Court is one of the few places in the Temple which have not been improved and beautified out of knowledge within the last thirty years. The architect and the sanitary engineer have passed by on the other side, and have left Ferret Court to its original shabbiness. Its ceilings have not been elevated, or its windows widened, nor has the Early-English stone front replaced the shabby old brickwork. Its time has not come. The rooms are small and low, the queer old closets where generations of lawyers have kept their goods and chattels are dark and redolent of mice. The staircases are rotten, the heavy old balusters are black with age, and the deep old window-seats are set in windows of the early Georgian era.