Alice, with her dress drawn up, a lantern in one hand and an umbrella of the Gamp species extended above her head, ventured into the yard, and locked up the precious fowls. Then she came back round by the gate to see if it was barred. To her surprise it was open. Rather annoyed she closed it again, and put up the bar. Then she took her way round by the side of the house to enter by the front door. Jerry followed with the step of a red Indian. He was rewarded. Just as Alice turned the corner of the house, she heard a groan, and almost stumbled over a body lying on the flower-bed under the wall of the house. At first she gave a slight shriek, but before she could step back the man clutched her feet--"Alice! Alice!" moaned the man. "Save me!--it's Bernard." "Bernard here," said Alice, with a shudder, and wondered how he had come from the castle. She turned the light on to his face, and then started back. This was not Bernard. In the circle of light she saw--and Jerry slinking along the side of the fence saw also--a pale, thin face with a wild look on it. The hair was long and matted, there was a scrubby growth on the chin, and the eyes were sunken for want of food. Still it was Bernard's face, and but that she had seen him on that very afternoon, she would have been deceived, until she had made a closer acquaintance with the tramp. But Alice, having heard the story of Mrs. Gilroy's son, knew at once that this miserable creature was Michael. He was representing himself to her as Bernard, and, mindful of Durham's advice, after the first start of alarm she determined to treat him as though she believed he was her lover. "Can you get to your feet?" she said, touching him, although her soul shuddered within her when she thought what the man had done. "Yes," said Michael, hoarsely, and tried to rise. She assisted him to his feet but his weight almost made her sink. "I must get the servants," said she, trying to disengage herself. "No! no!" said the man in a voice of hoarse terror. "They will give me up. Remember what I have done." Alice did remember indeed, and shuddered again. But it was needful for the clearing of Bernard that she should carry on the comedy so as to detain the man. A word from her, that she knew who he really was, and he would fly at once--when all chance of saving Gore would be at an end. Therefore she half led, half dragged him round the corner of the house in the driving rain. Jerry waited till the two disappeared and the last gleam of the lantern vanished. Then he went back to the kitchen unconcernedly. "Where have you been?" asked James, sternly. "Looking to see if the poultry gate was all right," said Jerry. "You see, Mr. James, a tramp might come in there." "It was your duty to shut it." "I have shut it," said Jerry, with assumed sulkiness. "Now don't you give me your lip, young sir, or I'll knock your head off--do you hear? Any tramps about?"