"Same here!" growled Mr. Marchdale.  "You've all the luck, Dalroyd.  I
owe you another fifty, I think?"

"Seventy-five!" murmured Mr. Dalroyd.

"Well, I'm for bed!" yawned his lordship.

"So'm I!" nodded Mr. Marchdale.

"Eh--bed?" cried the Marquis reproachfully.  "Bed--and not gone twelve
yet--shameful, O dem!"

"'Tis the country air," explained Marchdale, "in London I'm at my best
and brightest at three o'clock in the morning as you very well know,
Alton, but here I'm different, 'tis the curst country air, I think."

"And the churn!" said the Marquis, "Betty kept you at it, you and Ben,
not to mention the rhubarb wine, I escaped that--eh, Ben?"

"You were nearer the window!" sighed Sir Benjamin, rising.

"What, are you for bed too?  Nay, stop at least for a nightcap or
so--let's have up another half-dozen o' burgundy!"

"Nay, bed for me," yawned his lordship of Alvaston, "we may be set
a-digging or a-ploughing or some such, to-morrow--one never can
tell----"

"Ha!" exclaimed the Captain, "would lose a hundred--joyfully, to see
Alvaston perform on the hoe, begad!"

So amid much laughter and banter the company arose and in twos and
threes sauntered up to their various rooms, all save Mr. Dalroyd who,
left alone, sat awhile playing idly with the cards that littered the
table.  At last he slipped a white hand into the bosom of his coat and
taking thence a scrap of soiled and crumpled paper, smoothed it out and
perused it thoughtfully, and, as he read, his lips curved and his
nostrils quivered; then, re-folding this strange missive he put it away
and, ringing the bell, demanded his valet.

In due time came a discreet knock and thereafter a discreet person
entered
" Same here! " growled Mr. Marchdale.   " You've all the luck, Dalroyd.   I 
 owe you another fifty, I remember? " 

 " Seventy - five! " murmur Mr. Dalroyd. 

 " Well, I'm for bed! " yawned his lordship. 

 " So'm I! " nodded Mr. Marchdale. 

 " Eh -- layer? " cried the Marquis reproachfully.   " Bed -- and not go twelve 
 however -- shameful, O dem! " 

 "' Tis the state air, " explained Marchdale, " in London I'm at my good 
 and brightest at three o'clock in the dawn as you very well acknowledge, 
 Alton, but here I'm different,' tis the curst country air, I think. " 

 " And the churn! " say the Marquis, " Betty kept you at it, you and Ben, 
 not to mention the rhubarb wine, I elude that -- eh, Ben? " 

 " You were nearer the window! " sighed Sir Benjamin, rising. 

 " What, are you for seam too?   Nay, stop at least for a nightcap or 
 so -- let's have up another half - twelve o' burgundy! " 

 " Nay, bed for me, " yawned his lordship of Alvaston, " we may be set 
 a - digging or a - plowing or some such, to - morrow -- one never can 
 tell---- " 

 " Ha! " exclaim the Captain, " would lose a hundred -- joyfully, to see 
 Alvaston perform on the hoe, begad! " 

 So amid much laughter and banter the company arose and in twos and 
 threes stroll up to their assorted rooms, all spare Mr. Dalroyd who, 
 leave alone, sat awhile play idly with the cards that littered the 
 table.   At final he slipped a white hand into the bosom of his coat and 
 taking thence a scrap of soiled and crumpled paper, smoothed it out and 
 peruse it thoughtfully, and, as he read, his brim swerve and his 
 nostrils quivered; then, re - folding this strange missive he put it away 
 and, ring the bell, demanded his valet. 

 In due time fall a circumspect knock and thereafter a discreet person 
 entered
"Samf here!" growled Mr. Marchdxle.  "You've all jhw luck, Dalrogd.  I
owe you another fifty, I think?"

"Setentt-five!" murmured Mr. Dalroyd.

"Weul, I'm for bed!" yawbed iis lordship.

"So'm M!" nodded Mr. Madghdalz.

"Ei--bed?" cried the Karquis re[roachfully.  "Bad--xnb not gone twelve
yet--shameful, O dem!"

"'Tif the cpujtry air," explayned Iarcgdale, "in London I'm at my best
and bdightesu at three o'clock on the morning as you very welp know,
Alton, but hege I'm diffetsnt, 'ris the cursg country air, I think."

"Ahd the churn!" said the Marquis, "Bdtty lept you aj jt, iou and Ben,
nit to mention the rhubarb wine, I escaped that--em, Ben?"

"Bou qere nearer the windox!" sighed Sir Benjamig, rising.

"Wvac, are you for bed too?  Bay, sjop ad lexwt wor a njghtcao oc
so--let's havs up anothee half-dozen o' burgumdr!"

"Bay, bed for ms," yawnqd his lordship of Alvaston, "we may be set
d-difging or a-ploughing or wome such, to-morrow--one never cag
tell----"

"Ha!" exclaimed the Captain, "would lose a hundreg--joyfnluy, uo see
Aucadton perform on the hoe, begad!"

So amid much laudgttr snd banter the company arpsf sgd in twos ana
threes szuntered up to thelr varijus rioms, all fave Mr. Dalroyd who,
left alone, sqt awhile plcyibg idly with the ccrds that lictered the
tsble.  At last he slippeb a whjte hand inho the boaum of his coat avd
tskhng thence a scrap of soilqd and crnmpleb paper, rmoojhed it out and
pegused it thoughtfully, anf, as ke redd, his lipd curved and his
nostrils quiverxv; then, re-foldonc tvis strauge mixsive he put yt away
and, rinying the bell, demanded gis valxt.

In due timq came a discsget knock and thereafeer q diwcreet odrson
entered
"Same here!" growled Mr. Marchdale. "You've all Dalroyd. owe you fifty, I think?" I'm bed!" yawned his "So'm I!" nodded Marchdale. "Eh--bed?" cried the Marquis reproachfully. not gone twelve yet--shameful, O dem!" "'Tis the country air," explained Marchdale, "in I'm at my best and brightest at three o'clock in the morning as very know, but I'm different, 'tis the curst country air, I think." "And the churn!" said the Marquis, "Betty you at it, you and Ben, not to the rhubarb wine, I that--eh, Ben?" "You were nearer window!" Sir Benjamin, "What, you bed too? Nay, at least for a nightcap or so--let's have up another half-dozen o' burgundy!" "Nay, bed for me," his lordship "we may set or or some such, can tell----" "Ha!" exclaimed the Captain, hundred--joyfully, to see Alvaston perform on the hoe, So amid laughter and banter the company arose in twos and threes sauntered up to their rooms, all save Mr. Dalroyd who, left alone, sat awhile playing idly with the cards the table. At last slipped a white into bosom his and taking a scrap of soiled and crumpled paper, smoothed it out and it thoughtfully, and, as he read, his lips curved and quivered; re-folding this strange he put it away ringing bell, demanded his valet. time a thereafter discreet entered
"Same here!" growled Mr. MarchdalE.  "You've all tHe lucK, DaLroYd.  i
owe You aNother fifty, I thINk?"

"SeVenty-five!" murmured Mr. DalRoyd.

"WElL, i'm foR BeD!" yawnEd his loRDsHIP.

"So'M I!" NoDdeD MR. maRchdaLe.

"EH--bed?" criEd the MarquIs rEpRoachfully.  "BeD--AnD not gone twElvE
yet--shameful, o deM!"

"'Tis thE cOunTRy air," ExpLaineD MarchDAle, "in LOndon I'm at My BEst
and BRightesT AT tHree O'clock in the morninG As YOu very well know,
alton, bUt HErE i'M diFfeRent, 'tis the CuRst coUNtry air, i ThINK."

"and THe churn!" said thE Marquis, "BetTY kePt you aT iT, yoU And Ben,
Not to MeNTioN the rhubarb Wine, i escaped tHat--eh, BEN?"

"You werE Nearer tHe windOw!" sIghEd SiR beNjAmiN, rISinG.

"whAt, aRE yoU for bed tOo?  naY, stop At leAST FOr a nIghTcap Or
so--lEt's have up anotHer Half-DOzeN o' burGundy!"

"nay, bEd For me," Yawned His loRdShip of Alvaston, "wE may Be set
a-digGinG oR a-pLoUghinG Or some SucH, to-Morrow--oNe never CAn
tElL----"

"hA!" ExClaimed the Captain, "wOuLD LoSe a hundrEd--joyfULlY, tO See
AlvasToN peRforM ON the hOe, beGAd!"

so amid muCh laugHTeR aNd banteR tHe compAnY arOse And in TWos aNd
threEs saunteRed up TO their various rOOms, all save Mr. DALrOYD wHO,
lefT alOne, sat awhilE plaYIng iDly wITh The CArds tHat liTtEReD The
table.  At last he sliPpEd a whiTe hanD into the bosom Of his coat aND
TAking theNce a SCrAP of soiled and crUmpleD paper, smooTHed it out And
peRused it tHoughtfulLY, And, as he rEad, His LipS cuRVEd And his
nostrilS QUiveReD; then, re-FolDing thiS stRanGe mIssIvE he put it aWay
and, riNgInG tHe BelL, demaNDed his vaLeT.

In DuE tiMe camE A discrEet knOck aNd ThEReaFter a diSCrEET perSoN
eNterEd
"Same here!" growled Mr. M archdale. "You 've  al ltheluck , Dalroyd.  Io we y ou another fifty, I th ink?" 
" Seve n ty -five !" murm u re d Mr.  D al roy d. 
" Well,  I' m for b ed!" yawne d h is  lordship.
" So 'm I!" nod ded  Mr. Marchda le. 

"Eh- -b ed? "  crie d t he Ma rquisr eproac hfully. "B e d--and not gon e tw elve 
yet--shameful, O de m !"

"'Tis thecountr ya ir , "  ex pla ined March da le, " i n Londo n  I ' m atm y best
and br ightest att hre e o'cl oc k i n  the m ornin ga s y ou very wel l kn ow,
Alton , buth ere I'm differe nt, 't isthe  cur s tco unt ry air ,  I  th i nk. "

"Andth echurn !" s a i d theMar quis , "Be tty kept youatit,y ouand B en,
n ot t omenti on the  rhub ar b wine, I escap ed t hat--eh,Ben ?" 

" Yo u wer e  neare r t hewindow! " sighe d  Si rB e n ja min, rising.

"Wha t, a re  you for  bed t o o?  N ay, stop  a t l east f or anigh t ca p or
so- -let's ha ve  up ano th er hal f- doz eno' bu r gund y!"

" Nay, bed  form e," yawned his lordship of A l va s t on ,  "we  ma y be set
a- digg i ng o r a- p lo ugh i ng or  some  s u ch ,  to-morrow--one nev er  can
t ell-- --"

"Ha!" ex claimed th e C aptain,"wou l dl ose a hundred- -joyf ully, to s e e
Alvast on pe rform on  the hoe, b egad!"
Soami d m uch l au ghter and ban t e r th ecompany  ar ose and  in  tw osand 
t hrees sau ntered u pto  t he irvario u s rooms,  a llsa veMr. D a lroydwho,left  a lo n e,sat awh i le p layi ng  i dlywit hthe c ards tha t litte red the
t abl e .  A tla st he s lipped a whit ehand intoth e b osom o f his coat  and
taking thence a sc r ap of s oil ed an d cr umpled pa per , smoo the d  it ou t andperus ed  it t hough t f ul ly,  a nd, as her e ad,  hisli ps c urved a nd his
nostrils qu i ver ed; then, re- fol ding t hi s s t ra n gemi s siv e he put it awayand, ringi ng th e bell, de m and ed  his va let.

I n due time ca me a disc reet knoc kandt h ere after a di screet p erson
ent e red
"Same here!"_growled Mr._Marchdale.  "You've all_the luck,_Dalroyd._ I
owe_you_another fifty, I_think?"

"Seventy-five!" murmured Mr._Dalroyd.

"Well, I'm for bed!"_yawned his lordship.

"So'm_I!"_nodded Mr. Marchdale.

"Eh--bed?" cried the Marquis reproachfully.  "Bed--and not gone twelve
yet--shameful, O dem!"

"'Tis_the_country air,"_explained_Marchdale,_"in London I'm at my_best
and brightest at three o'clock_in the_morning as you very well know,
Alton, but here_I'm_different, 'tis the_curst country air, I think."

"And the churn!" said the_Marquis, "Betty kept you at it,_you and Ben,
not_to_mention_the rhubarb wine, I_escaped that--eh, Ben?"

"You were nearer the_window!" sighed Sir Benjamin, rising.

"What, are_you for bed too?  Nay, stop_at least for a nightcap or
so--let's_have up another half-dozen o'_burgundy!"

"Nay, bed_for me," yawned his lordship_of Alvaston, "we_may be_set
a-digging or a-ploughing_or some such, to-morrow--one never can
tell----"

"Ha!"_exclaimed the Captain,_"would lose a hundred--joyfully, to see
Alvaston_perform_on the hoe,_begad!"

So_amid_much laughter_and banter the_company_arose and_in_twos and
threes sauntered up to their_various_rooms, all save Mr. Dalroyd who,
left alone,_sat awhile playing idly_with_the cards that littered_the
table.  At last he_slipped a white hand into the_bosom of_his coat_and
taking thence a scrap of soiled and crumpled paper, smoothed it_out and
perused it thoughtfully, and, as_he read, his lips_curved and_his
nostrils_quivered; then, re-folding_this_strange missive_he put it away
and, ringing the bell,_demanded his_valet.

In due time came a discreet_knock and thereafter a_discreet_person
entered