"Come to my camp, then, and I'll put on the gloves with you." "Not me--not me!" said Parson Jarner, wagging his large head. "Too old; and besides, I'm a vicar--must respect the cloth, young man!" "Well, to continue about Farbis. How do they get their bales of cloth away?" "There's a road over the hills by Farbis Court. The weavers here are a poor lot, and an infernally irreligious set. God forgive me for swearing!" "They seem healthy enough." "Oh yes 1 The air is good. They don't bother the doctor much." "Dr. Merle! I saw him the other day." Jarner faced round suddenly with a grave look on his face. "What do you think of him?" he asked doubtfully. "I think it is a pity he doesn't take example by De Quincey, and put away that decanter." "Oh, you saw that, did you? You have sharp eyes, young man. Yes, yes! it's a great pity. I've tried to break him off that laudanum-drinking, but it's no use; the man's a slave to the vice. I've straightened him out a dozen times, and he always doubles up again. Lord forbid that I should speak ill of my fellow-creatures, but Richard Merle's a poor white mouse of a creature!" "It is more than his daughter is." "Ta, ta! Hey! Have you met her?" "Two or three days ago." "She is a fine girl, sir. As honest and simple as can be. I am a hardened old bachelor, Dan, but my heart aches for the future of that poor creature." "Her father----" "Pooh, pooh! Tush! Don't talk to me, sir. He is worse than useless. The girl would have been ruined body and soul had she trusted to his fatherly care. I can say, without praising myself and Miss Linisfarne, that we have done our best for her. She is a noble creature, sir," continued the parson, vehemently, "and should be the mother of brave men and chaste women. But there, there! in this waste corner of the earth who is there to mate with her?" He sighed and finished his beer, then continued his speech after such pause. "I have often thought of asking Miss Linisfarne to take the lass to London and aid her to----" "No, no!" interrupted Dan, smartly, "do not let her go to town. A season would spoil her. It would destroy her charm of simplicity and candour. Believe me, my dear Mr. Jarner, it is best to let this woodland flower bloom here, and not to thrust it into the hothouse of an artificial civilization." "You take a great interest in the young lady, sir," said Jarner, dryly. "Do you think so, sir? It is pure philanthropy on my part, I assure you." Jarner looked steadily at him, but Dan met his eyes with so frank a face that he seemed satisfied of the young man's intentions. Nevertheless he tapped his breast meaningly. "Don't lose that, sir! Take care--take care!" "If you mean my heart, Mr. Jarner, there is no danger of my being so foolish. I can look after myself, and so can she. But to speak in a more general way--do you know if Dr. Merle has any dealings with Tim the Tinker?" "No, I can't say that I do. Why do you couple their names together, young man?"