Ah, here comes that coward of little cowards, Molly, with Balaam and the donkey-cart!" Molly, who had left Ruth for dead, greeted her cousin with a transport of affection, and then proceeded to recount the fearful risks that Balaam had encountered by being deserted, and the stoic calm with which he had waited for them at the gate.
"He's not a common donkey," she said, with pride.

"Get in, Ruth.

Are you coming in, Uncle Charles?
There's just room for you to squeeze in between Ruth and me--isn't there, Ruth?
Oh, you're not going to walk beside, are you ?" But Charles was determined not to let them out of his sight again, and he walked beside them the remainder of the way to Atherstone.

He remained silent and preoccupied during the evening which followed, pored over a newspaper, and went off to his room early, leaving Ralph dozing in the smoking-room.
It was a fine moonlight night, still and clear.

He stood at the open window looking out for a few minutes, and then began fumbling in a dilapidated old travelling-bag such as only rich men use.
"Not much," he said to himself, spreading out a few sovereigns and some silver on the table, "but it will do." He put the money in his pocket, took off his gold hunting watch, and then went back to the smoking-room.
"I am going out again, Ralph, as I did last night.