over his shoulder.

I am sorry to say that when that good man, Mr. Larkin, left his presence,
Captain Lake indulged in a perfectly blasphemous monologue. His fury was
excited to a pitch that was very nearly ungovernable; and after it had
exhibited itself in the way I have said, Captain Lake opened a little
despatch-box, and took therefrom a foreign letter, but three days
received. He read it through: his ill-omened smile expanded to a grin
that was undisguisedly diabolical. With a scissors he clipt his own name
where it occurred from the thin sheet, and then, in red ink and Roman
capitals, he scrawled a line or two across the interior of the letter,
enclosed it in an envelope, directed it, and then rang the bell.

He ordered the tax-cart and two horses to drive tandem. The captain was
rather a good whip, and he drove at a great pace to Dollington, took the
train on to Charteris, there posted his letter, and so returned; his
temper continuing savage all that evening, and in a modified degree in
the same state for several days after.




CHAPTER LII.

AN OLD FRIEND LOOKS INTO THE GARDEN AT REDMAN'S FARM.


Lady Chelford, with one of those sudden changes of front which occur in
female strategy, on hearing that Stanley Lake was actually accepted by
Dorcas, had assailed both him and his sister, whom heretofore she had a