He was disturbed in these fancies by the opening of the carved Jacobean door. The manservant who admitted him was, to his surprise, dressed in rough working-clothes. He was an extremely powerful man, and had a swarthy, gipsy-like complexion and coal-black hair.

“Excuse me, Sir,” he said with a melancholy smile, as he took the visitor’s coat and laid it on a great oak chest that stood in the hall. “Excuse me, Mr. Solent, but I’ve been working till a few minutes ago in the stable. He never likes me to apologize to gentlemen who come; but that’s the way I am; and I hope you’ll excuse me, Sir.”