at all, so far as I know. Lies still, says nothing, asks no questions--brooding over that scamp, I suppose. Well, she's getting better, and that's all that concerns me."
"Yes," said Gardiner. He looked very tired. "If you see a chance, give her my regrets and condolences and all that, will you? You might pitch it pretty strong. I shan't be here to do it myself."
"You won't? Where are you going?"
"Oh, I've sold the place, and I'm clearing out. Didn't you know? I was going in any case at the end of the month, and I've put it forward a bit, to give my successor a chance. All this fuss is very bad for trade. It's emptied the house. It'll fill up again quicker if I'm out of it."
"Where are you going yourself, hey?"
"To the most beautiful place in the Ardennes, which I design to run as a sanatorium--no, not a common open-air shop, but healthful bracing breezes for the jaded, don't you know? Very great it's going to be. I invite you to come out and pay me a visit."
"H'm! do you think I have nothing to do but run about the Continent enjoying myself?"
"Oh, I thought you might combine business with pleasure--see the place, and then recommend it to your patients. I should be charmed to receive them."
"You would, would you? Not half so pleased as they'd be to come."
"Why, who are your patients?" asked Gardiner, idly answering the significance of his tone.
"Criminals," said the little man. "I'm a doctor at Westby Jail--where you'd be at this minute, if Mrs. Trent had her way."
Denis would not look at his friend. "I can't say I envy you your job," remarked the young man.
"That just shows you don't know anything about it," was the instant retort. "Criminals have souls as well as you, haven't they? There are better men in prison than scores I've met outside, whom our ungodly laws can't or won't touch. I've known one man get eighteen months for stealing a pair of boots, and another let off with a fine and a caution for roasting a cat on the fire. Christians? Why, we haven't got up to the ten commandments yet! The Jews did put _Thou shalt not kill_ and _Thou shalt not commit Adultery_ before _Thou shalt not steal_; but impurity's nothing to us, and cruelty not much more. Christians! We reserve our jails for anyone who dares to meddle with our sacred property. Upon my soul, I wonder any man can find the face to refuse the women a share in mending the laws of this land, considering the pretty mess we've made of them ourselves!"He shot out of his chair and marched to the edge of the roof. Gardiner followed, laughing, and sat on the parapet. A rose and silver sunset was darkening the fells above Easedale Tarn, and the moon, a globe of pearl, made beautiful the cold gray eastern sky. "I don't know what you want to leave your own country for," said Scott, still 

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