As Melrose unlocked the
gate, the house door opened, and three huge dogs came bounding out, in
front of a gray-haired man, whom the driver of the wagonette knew to be
"owd Dixon," Melrose's butler and factotum. The driver was watching the
whole scene with an absorbed curiosity, when Melrose turned, threw him a
sudden look, paid him, and peremptorily bade him be off. He had therefore
no time to observe the perturbation of Dixon who was coming with slow
steps to meet his master; nor that a woman in white cap and apron had
appeared behind him on the steps.
* * * * *
Melrose on opening the gate found himself surrounded by his dogs, a fine
mastiff and two young collies. He was trying to drive them off, after a
gruff word to Dixon, when he was suddenly brought to a standstill by the
sight of the woman on the steps.
"D----n it!--whom have you got here?" he said, fiercely perceiving at the
same moment the open windows on the ground floor.
"Muster Melrose--it's noan o' my doin'," was Dixon's trembling reply, as
he pointed a shaky finger at the windows. "It was t' yoong doctor from
Pengarth--yo' ken him--"
A woman's voice interrupted.
"Please, sir, would you stop those dogs barking? They disturb the
patient."
Melrose looked at the speaker in stupefaction.
"What the deuce have you been doing with my house?"--he turned furiously
to Dixon--"who are these people?"
"Theer's a yoong man lyin' sick i' the drawin'-room," said Dixon
desperately.
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