I rose at once to follow him into the sick-room, but he waved me back.

’Do not disturb yourself, Miss Garston; you all look very comfortable.  Jock, are you trying to swallow that spoon?  You will find it a hard morsel.’  And then he went into the other room, and, to my surprise, we did not see him again.

I left a little earlier that evening, as I knew Uncle Max meant to pay me a visit; but it was already dark when I closed the little gate behind me.  I had not gone many paces when I heard footsteps behind me, and, somewhat to my dismay, Mr. Hamilton joined me.

‘Have you only just finished your day’s work?’ he said, in evident surprise.  ’This will never do, Miss Garston; we shall have you knocking yourself up if you use up your time and strength so recklessly, and I want you for another case.’

‘I am quite prepared for that,’ I answered; but I am afraid my voice was a little weary.  ’You called on me yesterday, Mr. Hamilton.  I was sorry to be out, but there was so much to do that I stayed at the cottage until quite late in the evening.’

‘Just so,’ in rather a vexed tone.  ’The village nurse will be on a sick-bed herself if this goes on.’

‘Oh, what nonsense!’ I returned, laughing, for I forgot for the moment in the darkness that I was speaking to the formidable Mr. Hamilton.  ’I do not always mean to work quite so hard.  Mr. Tudor called me a charitable charwoman last evening; but this is an exceptional case,—­so many helpless beings, and such shocking mismanagement and neglect.  When I put things on a proper footing I shall not spend so much time there.’

‘What do you mean by putting things on a proper footing?’ he asked, with some show of interest.

’When the place has been properly cleaned it will be kept tolerably tidy with less labour.  Hope Weatherley has been hard at work for two days, and things are now pretty comfortable.’

’I suppose—­excuse me if the question seems impertinent, but I imagine that you paid Hope out of your own purse?’

’For those two days, certainly.  It was necessary for my own comfort, speaking selfishly, that the place should be made habitable.  My nursing would have been a mere mockery unless we could have got rid of the dirt,’

’You are perfectly right.  I had no idea you were such a practical person.  But, if you will allow me to give you a hint, Marshall earns good wages, and there ought to be sufficient money to pay for a moderate amount of help.’

‘I told Mrs. Marshall so this morning,’ I returned, pleased to find myself talking with such ease to Mr. Hamilton; but he seemed quite different to-night; evidently his brusquerie was a mere mannerism that he laid aside at times; he had lost that sneering manner that I so much disliked.  I remembered Uncle Max said that he was kind-hearted and eccentric.

‘We had a long talk,’ I went on.  ’Marshall sends the money regularly, and I am to manage it.  Mrs. Tyler is to wash for us, and I think we can afford to have Hope for at least an hour a day, to do the rough work; Peggy is so little to do everything.’