{Dormer.} Have you never seen a man with his coat off before? {Chris.} Never a clergyman, sir! {Kate.} Call Gilbert, Christie; he's by the kennel. _(sitting R.)_ {Chris.} _(goes up through the archway and calls)_ Gilbert! {Kate.} Would the sick lady like me to see her, parson? {Dormer.} No, she doesn't speak in your language. {Kate.} A foreigner! _(Gil. enters at bach from R., takes the basket from {Chris.} and comes down R., C. to Kate. Chris. drops down L.)_ {Gil.} I shall bring the keys of the barns and the oats house to you to-night, Squire, also my books and such like. I should feel happier if you'd take them from me. {Kate.} Very well, Gilbert. And as you pass the cottages, tell Gunnion, the shepherd, to come to me --he will do your duties from to-morrow. {Gil.} Gunnion's a very old man. {Kate.} I know that _(looking at him)_ but it's safer. _(Gil. turns away and goes to Dormer.)_ {Gil.} Er--is--there--any message--with the basket? {Dormer.} No--I'll follow you when I've smoked my pipe. {Gil.} _(rests his gun against the R., side of the arch. To Chris.)_ I'll come back for the gun, Christie. _(Chris. goes into outhouse L.)_ _(As Gil. walks through the archway, Lieutenant Thorndyke passes him with a careless nod.)_ {Eric.} _(to Gil.)_ Hello, Hythe! Playing at Little Red Riding Hood? Mind the wolf. _(Gil. looks angrily at him, and goes off L., Eric comes down; he is a handsome young fellow with an indolent manner. Crossing to Kate)_ How do you do, Squire? {Kate.} _(carelessly)_ What brings you here? {Eric.} Strolled over from barracks--doctor says I must walk, and your place is somewhere to walk to. {Kate.} Do you know Mr. Dormer? {Eric.} _(turning to Dor.)_ No, but my mother does. How do you do? _(Eric shakes hands with Dormer. Dor. draws his hand away quickly and puts his hand in trousers pocket)_ Mrs. Thorndyke is a parishioner of yours, Mr. Dormer--her son ought to know a little of you. {Dormer.} If her son attended his church regularly, he would know a little of me. {Eric.} So my mother says. And you're not afraid of catching cold? {Dormer.} No, sir! I am not. _(irritably)_ Have you never seen a man with his coat off? {Eric.} I beg your pardon--never a clergyman. _(Kate has finished mending the coat and has risen. Eric takes out his cigar case.)_ _(offering it to Dormer)_ Smoke a cigar, parson? {Kate.} _(catching his arm)_ No! _(confused)_ I-- I like to see the parson with a pipe, _(aside)_ He mustn't see that! _(she points to the inside flap of the case, which is worked with an inscription in silk, and crosses behind Eric to Dormer)_