"Yes, and I must soon have a bottle or two of port wine for you. I can't ask Sir John Day, can I?" "No, sir, don't ask he," said the man, with a faint smile. "Let's play as fair as we can. If you say I'm to have some wine, we'll get it; but I'd a deal rayther have a drop of beer." "I daresay you would, my friend," cried Oldroyd, smiling; "but no beer for a long time to come. Alleyne, would you mind going down now, and sending me up the nurse?" Alleyne rose, and, going down, sent up the woman to find himself alone with the girl of whom they had been speaking. Student though he was, the study of woman was one that had never come beneath Alleyne's ken, and he found himself--for perhaps the first time in his life--interested, and wondering how it was that so handsome and attractive a girl could be leading so humble a cottage life as hers. Judith, too, seemed attracted towards him, and once or twice she opened her lips and was about to speak, but a step overhead, or the movement of a chair, made her shrink away and begin busying herself in arranging chairs or the ornaments upon the chimney-piece, which she dusted and wiped. "So you've been flower-gathering," said Alleyne, to break a rather awkward silence. "Yes, sir, and--" but just then Oldroyd was heard speaking at the top of the stairs, and Judith seemed to shrink within herself as he came down. "Ah, Miss Judith, you there? Well, your father is getting on splendidly. Take care of him. Ready, Alleyne?" His companion rose, said good-morning to Judith, and stepped out, while Oldroyd obeyed a sign made by the girl, and stayed behind. "Well," he said, looking at her curiously. "I'm so anxious about father, sir," she said, in a low voice. "Now that he is getting better, will there be any trouble? I mean about the keepers, and--and"--she faltered--"the police." "No," said Oldroyd, looking fixedly at the girl, till she coloured warmly beneath his stern gaze, "everything seems to have settled down, and I don't think there is anything to fear for him. Let me speak plainly, my dear. Lookers on see most of the game." "I--I don't understand you, sir," she said, colouring. "Then try to. It seems to me that, to use a strong expression, some one has been squared. There are friends at court. Now, take my advice: as soon as father is quite well, take him into your confidence, and persuade him to go quite away. I'm sure it would be better for you both. Good-day." The doctor nodded and went off after Alleyne, while Judith sat down to bury her face in her hands and sob as if her heart would break. Volume 2, Chapter XII. VENUS MORE IN THE FIELD OF VIEW.