.

.

Ah, thanks, my dear fellow--thanks inexpressibly! Absurd of me, of course; but you cannot think what a load you have taken off my mind." Sam unhitched one of a number of hauling tackles hanging against the wall, and led forth his horse--a sturdy old grey, by name Jubilee.
Casting the tackle carelessly on the animal's back, he handed Mr.
Mortimer the headstall rope, and left him, to return two minutes later with the saucepan he had promised.
"She must use this one for the time," he explained.

"And afterwards yours will come as a surprise." "It must be so, I suppose," assented Mr.Mortimer, but after a pause, and reluctantly, averting his eyes from the accursed thing.
To spare him, Sam hurried across to deliver it to the lady, who awaited them in the doorway: and thus approaching he became aware that she was making mysterious signals.

He glanced behind him.