Oh!  Doctor—­have you? is it——?

Doctor.  Right as rain!  She held him like an angel—­he just licked her, and never made a sound.

Lady Ella.  Poor darling!  Can I——­

     [She signs toward the door.]

Doctor.  Better leave ’em a minute.  She’s moppin’ ’im off. [He wrinkles his nose] Wonderful clever hands!

The Squire.  I say—­who is she?

Doctor. [Looking from face to face with a dubious and rather quizzical expression] Who?  Well—­there you have me!  All I know is she’s a first-rate nurse—­been helpin’ me with a case in Ditch Lane.  Nice woman, too—­thorough good sort!  Quite an acquisition here.  H’m! [Again that quizzical glance] Excuse me hurryin’ off—­very late.  Good-bye, Rector.  Good-bye, Lady Ella.  Good-bye!

     [He goes.  A silence.]

The Squire.  H’m!  I suppose we ought to be a bit careful.

     [Jarvis, flyman of the old school, has appeared on the
     verandah.]

Jarvis. [To the Rector] Beg pardon, sir.  Is the little dog all right?

Maud.  Yes.

Jarvis. [Touching his hat] Seein’ you’ve missed your train, m’m, shall I wait, and take you ’ome again?

Maud.  No.

Jarvis.  Cert’nly, m’m. [He touches his hat with a circular gesture, and is about to withdraw.]

Lady Ella.  Oh, Jarvis—­what’s the name of the people here?

Jarvis.  Challenger’s the name I’ve driven ’em in, my lady.

The Squire.  Challenger?  Sounds like a hound.  What’s he like?

Jarvis. [Scratching his head] Wears a soft ’at, sir.

The Squire.  H’m!  Ah!

Jarvis.  Very nice gentleman, very nice lady.  ’Elped me with my old mare when she ’ad the ’ighsteria last week—­couldn’t ‘a’ been kinder if they’d ‘a’ been angels from ‘eaven.  Wonderful fond o’ dumb animals, the two of ’em.  I don’t pay no attention to gossip, meself.

Maud.  Gossip?  What gossip?

Jarvis. [Backing] Did I make use of the word, m’m?  You’ll excuse me, I’m sure.  There’s always talk where there’s newcomers.  I takes people as I finds ’em.

The Rector.  Yes, yes, Jarvis—­quite—­quite right!

Jarvis.  Yes, sir.  I’ve—­I’ve got a ‘abit that way at my time o’ life.

Maud. [Sharply] How long have they been here, Jarvis?

Jarvis.  Well—–­er—­a matter of three weeks, m’m.

     [A slight involuntary stir.]

[Apologetic] Of course, in my profession I can’t afford to take notice of whether there’s the trifle of a ring between ’em, as the sayin’ is.  ’Tisn’t ’ardly my business like.

     [A silence.]