“But you’re not dying, you’re only dreaming.  You are at Arghouse.  Harold here found you and brought you to us.”

And then we agreed that he had better be put to bed at once in Eustace’s room, as there was already a fire there, and any other would take long in being warmed.

Harold and Eustace got him upstairs between them, and Richardson followed, while I looked out with dismay at the drifting snow, and wondered how to send either for a doctor or for Lady Diana in case of need.  He had been a childless widower for many years, and had no one nearer belonging to him.  Dora expressed her amazement that I did not go to help, but I knew this would have shocked him dreadfully, and I only sent Colman to see whether she could be of any use.

Harold came out first, and on his way to get rid of his snow-soaked garments, paused to tell me that the old gentleman had pretty well come round, and was being fed with hot soup and wine, while he seemed half asleep.  “He is not frost-bitten,” added Harold; “but if he is likely to want the doctor, I’d better go on to Mycening at once, before I change my things.”

But I knew Lord Erymanth to be a hale, strong man of his years, little given to doctors, and as I heard he had said “No, no,” when Eustace proposed to send for one, I was glad to negative the proposal from a man already wet through and tired—­“well, just a little.”

Our patient dropped asleep almost as soon as he had had his meal, in the very middle of a ceremonious speech of thanks, which sent Eustace down to dinner more than ever sure that there was nothing like the aristocracy, who all understood one another; and we left Richardson to watch over him, and sleep in the dressing-room in case of such a catastrophe as a rheumatic waking in the night.

We were standing about the fire in the hall, our usual morning waiting-place before breakfast, and had just received Richardson’s report that his lordship had had a good night, seemed none the worse, and would presently appear, but that he desired we would not wait breakfast, when there was a hasty ring at the door, and no sooner was it opened than Dermot Tracy, battered and worn, in a sou’-wester sprinkled with snow and with boots up to his thighs, burst into the hall.

“Alison, you there?  All right, I want you,” shaking hands in an agitated way all round, and speaking very fast with much emotion.  “I want you to come and search for my poor uncle.  He was certainly in the train from Mycening that ran into a drift.  Men went to get help; couldn’t get back for three hours.  He wasn’t there—­never arrived at home.  My mother is in a dreadful state.  Hogg is setting all the men to dig at the Erymanth end.  I’ve got a lot to begin in the Kalydon cutting; but you’ll come, Alison, you’ll be worth a dozen of them.  He might be alive still, you see.”

“Thank you, Dermot, I am happy to say that such is the case,” said a voice from the oak staircase, and down it was slowly proceeding Lord Erymanth, as trim, and portly, and well brushed-up as if he had arrived behind his two long-tailed bays.