"What if there should be, eh?" asked the Captain, with a quick, suspicious glance at his questioner. "Why simply this, sir," replied the landlord, "that I think I know of somebody who might perhaps take it off your hands, furniture and all." "Oh, indeed! Who's that?" asked the Captain. "A Mr. Norris, sir, who is stopping in the hotel. He says----" "What's his business here?" "Nothing in particular, sir: halted here quite promiscuous yesterday; been going about a bit to see places. He's not a gentleman by any means," added the landlord. "I hope I know a gentleman when I see one, Captain; but he seems to have plenty of money. Retired from business, I should put it. Says he should like to settle down in this part of the country, for it takes his fancy, and is on the look-out for what he calls a 'quiet little shanty' that would suit himself and his two grown up daughters. So I thought, Captain, that if----" "I understand," interrupted Lennox in his quick way. He paused for a moment or two, biting his lip, his eyes bent on the ground. "He looks awfully ill," was the landlord's unspoken thought, as he stood watching him. "But I suppose he goes the pace when he's in London. It's sure to tell on a man in the long-run." "It might be worth my while to see this Mr. Norris in the morning," said Lennox, breaking out of his reverie. "To tell you the truth, Butterby, I _have_ some notion of leaving Nullington." "So we heard. But I'm sorry to hear you say so, sir." "Nothing, however, is settled at present. You see my sister finds this part of the country a little too bleak for her, and I myself have been out of sorts for some time. We have some idea of travelling for a year or two. I shall see how she is when I next run up to town. We may perhaps come back here, after all." "We shall miss you, sir, if you don't," spoke Butterby. Captain Lennox looked undecided: as if he could not make up his mind. A minute or two passed before he spoke. "You might take an opportunity, Butterby, of sounding this guest of yours as to what kind of place it is that he really wants. The Lilacs might be too small for him, or two expensive--it might not suit him in many ways. In that case my seeing him on the matter would be useless. I will look round in the morning about ten o'clock, and then you can tell me the result." With that, Captain Lennox adjusted the camellia in his buttonhole, lighted a fresh cigar, linked his arm in the arm of young Sandys, and went his way. Captain Lennox was punctual. The clock was striking ten the next morning as he walked into the bar of the Rose and Crown. The landlord met him with a smiling face. "Mr. Norris would like to see you, sir," he began. "I had a little talk with him last night; and, from what I can make out, if you can come to terms yours will be just the place to suit him. He's a little bit odd in some of his ways, but a pleasant party enough when you come to converse with him." "You can show me to his room."