“ ’Tis as true as I stand here. And a nice fright you have given us, what with nearly dying, and raving about your Dicks and your Jims!”

My lord glanced up sharply.

“Oh! So I⁠—talked?”

“Talk? Well, yes, if you can call all that mixture of foreign jargon talking. Now you must be still and wait till the doctor comes again.”

For a while Carstares lay in silence. He thought of Jim and smiled a little. “I could not have thought of a better punishment had I tried,” he told himself, and then frowned. “Poor fellow! He’ll be off his head with fright over me. Miss⁠—er⁠—Betty?”

“Well, and are you not asleep yet?”

“Asleep, Madam? Certainly not!” he said with dignity. “I must write a letter.”

“ ’Deed, an’ you shall not!”