No blots, mind you, and spell not after the promptings of your woman's nature." Going to a side table, be mixed for himself, in an old battered silver cap, a generous draught of bombo; then, with the drink in his hand, walked heavily across the uncarpeted floor to his armchair, which creaked under his weight as he sank into its leathern lap.

He put down the rum and water with so unsteady a hand that the liquor spilled, and when he refilled his pipe half the contents of his tobacco box showered down upon his frayed and ancient and unclean coat and breeches.

From the pocket of the latter he now drew forth a silver coin, which he balanced for a moment upon his fat forefinger, and finally sent spinning across the table to Audrey.
"'Tis the dregs of thy guinea, child, that Paris and Hugon and I drank at the crossroads last night.

'Burn me,' says I to them, 'if that long-legged lass of mine shan't have a drop in the cup!' And say Hugon"-- What Hugon said did not appear, or was confided to the depths of the tankard which the minister raised to his lips.

Audrey looked at the splendid shilling gleaming upon the table beside her, but made no motion toward taking it into closer possession.