I indicated by a movement of my head in his direction our friend in need, who was now, with the butler's assistance, extricating Moore from the fly. Poor boy! he did look rather dilapidated! though both he and I tacitly agreed in trying to make the best of our misfortunes. It would have been impolitic in the highest degree to pile on the agony so as to have led to minute or detailed inquiry on the part of the servants. By this time the stranger had got Moore on to a comfortable seat in the hall, where of such there was no lack. "Now," he said, "I think the best thing I can do is to send you the doctor as quickly as possible, I know where to find him. I should advise you to let your brother stay where he is for a few minutes. Get him a cup of tea, or something to pull him together a little, before you carry him upstairs, and once there, put him to bed as quickly as possible, and just raise the injured foot on a pillow till the doctor sees it." He glanced round as if to satisfy himself that he left us in good hands, and then, before I had time to do more than shake hands, he was gone. "A nice-spoken young gentleman," said Mrs Bence approvingly, "but I've never seen him before. He must be a stranger in these parts. Do you know who he--" But I interrupted her by a shake of my head. "I have no idea who he is," I said. "He did not tell us his name. He has been extremely kind. I am only afraid that by stopping to help us he has lost his train. He was on his way to the station." "If it was the evening express for London," said Sims, taking out his watch--Mrs Bence had gone off in quest of the prescribed cup of tea--"he certainly has, Miss. There is a slower one an hour later; he will be in plenty of time for that." This information somewhat consoled me. I said nothing more, nor did Moore. And after a while we got him upstairs and settled in bed as comfortably as was possible under the circumstances. The poor foot looked in very bad case when we had got it quite free, and Mrs Bence groaned over it in much distress. But when the doctor came our spirits rose again. It proved to be only a sprain, and not a _very_ severe one, though painful. Perfect quiet and minute attention to his orders would do wonders, he assured me, to my great relief. "You are alone here for the present, I understand," he said. "Mr and Miss Wynyard are away?" "Yes," I replied, "but only for a day or two. I believe they will be back by Saturday." "By Saturday," he repeated. "Ah, well--by Saturday I think you will see great improvement. The swelling will have gone down, I hope. Let me see! How did you say it happened? A fall, was it?" We had not said anything at all as to how it had happened, but luckily we were not called upon to reply, for Mrs Bence, who was a little deaf, came just then innocently to our aid by some inquiry as to the arrangements for the night. Should she or Sims sit up with Master Moore?