“Allow me to deal with you, ma’am, as a woman of the world,” I went on.  “If you will give me half-an-hour’s hearing, I will explain to you how I come to know what I do; how I got here; and what I have to propose to Miss Alicia and to you.”

“If you have the feelings of a man, sir,” said Mrs. Baggs, shaking her head and raising her eyes to heaven, “you will remember that I have nerves, and will not presume upon them.”

As the old lady uttered the last words, I thought I saw her eyes turn from heaven, and take the earthly direction of the sofa in the front parlor.  It struck me also that her lips looked rather dry.  Upon these two hints I spoke.

“Might I suggest some little stimulant?” I asked, with respectful earnestness.  “I have heard my grandmother (Lady Malkinshaw) say that, ’a drop in time saves nine.’”

“You will find it under the sofa pillow,” said Mrs. Baggs, with sudden briskness. “’A drop in time saves nine’—­my sentiments, if I may put myself on a par with her ladyship.  The liqueur-glass, Mr. Softly, is in the backgammon-board.  I hope her ladyship was well the last time you heard from her?  Suffers from her nerves, does she?  Like me, again.  In the backgammon-board.  Oh, this news, this awful news!”

I found the bottle of brandy in the place indicated, but no liqueur-glass in the backgammon-board.  There was, however, a wine-glass, accidentally left on a chair by the sofa.  Mrs. Baggs did not seem to notice the difference when I brought it into the back room and filled it with brandy.

“Take a toothful yourself,” said Mrs. Baggs, lightly tossing off the dram in a moment. “’A drop in time’—­I can’t help repeating it, it’s so nicely expressed.  Still, with submission to her ladyship’s better judgment, Mr. Softly, the question seems now to arise, whether, if one drop in time saves nine, two drops in time may not save eighteen.”  Here Mrs. Baggs forgot her nerves and winked.  I returned the wink and filled the glass a second time.  “Oh, this news, this awful news!” said Mrs. Baggs, remembering her nerves again.

Just then I thought I heard footsteps in front of the house, but, listening more attentively, found that it had begun to rain, and that I had been deceived by the pattering of the first heavy drops against the windows.  However, the bare suspicion that the same stranger who had called already might be watching the house now, was enough to startle me very seriously, and to suggest the absolute necessity of occupying no more precious time in paying attention to the vagaries of Mrs. Baggs’ nerves.  It was also of some importance that I should speak to her while she was sober enough to understand what I meant in a general way.