She went away disappointed.

Presently there was a dull noise of heavy footsteps at the side of the house, and one of the brothers sat up.

'I fancy I hear him coming,' he murmured, his eyes on the window.
A man in the light drab clothes of an old-fashioned country tradesman approached from round the corner, reeling as he came.

The elder son flushed with anger, rose from his books, and descended the stairs.

The younger sat on, till, after the lapse of a few minutes, his brother re- entered the room.
'Did Rosa see him ?' 'No.' 'Nor anybody ?' 'No.' 'What have you done with him ?' 'He's in the straw-shed.