"You beware of that man, Anne," she said. "He's probably got a dyspeptic rattlesnake in one of his pockets. As to you, Tristram Tristram, I warn you that sooner or later you will get into serious trouble. You're a sentimentalist. There—go along. And, meanwhile, I'll let Arabella eat the grass tidy, and that so-called dog shall have a bone. Good luck to you!" "You beware of that man, Anne," she said. "He's probably got a dyspeptic rattlesnake in one of his pockets. As to you, Tristram Tristram, I warn you that sooner or later you will get into serious trouble. You're a sentimentalist. There—go along. And, meanwhile, I'll let Arabella eat the grass tidy, and that so-called dog shall have a bone. Good luck to you!" "I'm awfully obliged," he said solemnly. "Not a chicken bone, please. They stick in his throat." "I'm awfully obliged," he said solemnly. "Not a chicken bone, please. They stick in his throat." "If I followed my conscience, I should give him poison," Mrs. Compton retorted, with her brows knitted over laughing eyes. "If I followed my conscience, I should give him poison," Mrs. Compton retorted, with her brows knitted over laughing eyes. She had, however, no opportunity to carry out her threat. As the dog-cart turned out of the compound gates the disgruntled Wickie, who had been lying afar off, panting and disgraced, picked himself up, and, uttering a hoarse wail of indignation and despair, took to his bandy legs and rolled after the disappearing vehicle in a miniature storm of dust. She had, however, no opportunity to carry out her threat. As the dog-cart turned out of the compound gates the disgruntled Wickie, who had been lying afar off, panting and disgraced, picked himself up, and, uttering a hoarse wail of indignation and despair, took to his bandy legs and rolled after the disappearing vehicle in a miniature storm of dust. CHAPTER III CHAPTER III TRISTRAM BECOMES FATHER-CONFESSOR TRISTRAM BECOMES FATHER-CONFESSOR