"Oh, stuff and nonsense! Go and tell him I'm here." The housekeeper went away, and came back in five minutes, looking troubled. "Master says you must excuse him, sir. That you are to please ask for what you want, but he is too unwell to see you." "Dear me, Mrs Milt; I'm sorry to hear this," said the solicitor, with a look of commiseration. "But, then, he is a doctor, and must know his symptoms. Has he had any one to see him?" "No, sir." "Then he is not very bad. I mean no doctor?" "No, sir; no doctor." "I didn't mean solicitor, Mrs Milt," said Cousin Thompson, laughing unpleasantly. "Of course, if he required a solicitor he would send for me, eh?" "I suppose so, sir." "He has not sent for a solicitor, of course--to make his will, eh?" jocularly. "No, no; of course not." "Perhaps you had better ask master about such things as that, sir," said Mrs Milt, with asperity. "I know nothing about that." "You do, you hag!" said Cousin Thompson to himself: "you do, or you wouldn't be so eager to disclaim all knowledge of such an act--and deed. This must be seen to, for I can't afford to have you coming between me and my rights, madam. This must be seen to." "What would you like to take, sir?" "Anything, my dear Mrs Milt, anything. Too busy a man to trouble about food. I'm going to see a client, and while I'm gone perhaps you will get a snack ready for me." "You will not sleep here, I suppose?" "But I will sleep here, Mrs Milt," said Cousin Thompson, smiling. "I do not feel as if I could go back to town without being able to take with me the knowledge that my cousin is in better health." "And not at the mercy of thieves and scheming people," he muttered, as he went off to see Mrs Berens, as he put it, "_re_ shares." North's bedroom bell rang violently as Cousin Thompson disappeared down the road, and Mrs Milt went up to the door and knocked. "Has that man gone?" came from within. "Yes, sir." "Bring up the brandy." Mrs Milt uttered a sigh. "May I bring you up a little broth, sir, too?" she whispered, with her face close to the panel. "You've had nothing to-day, sir, and you must be growing faint." "Bring up the brandy!" roared North fiercely. "Do you hear?" "And him to speak to me like that!" sighed the housekeeper, as she went down for the spirit decanter; "and for him, too, who never took anything but tea for days together, to be asking for brandy in this reckless way. Five times have I filled up the spirit decanter this week." She returned with the brandy and knocked. No answer. "I've brought the brandy, sir." "Set it down." "Can I speak to you, sir?" There was a fierce stamp of the foot which made the jug rattle in the basin on the washstand, and Mrs Milt set down the decanter close to the door, and went down again, raising her apron to her eyes.