In another minute they were at the wicket.
"You really prefer not to come in ?" There was a sly restrained humor in Langholm's tone.
"I do--and don't be long." "Oh, no, I shan't be a minute." There were other lights in the other cottage.

It was not at all late.

A warm parallelogram appeared and disappeared as Langholm opened his door and went in.

Was it a sound of bolts and bars that followed?
Abel was still wondering when his prospective paymaster threw up the window and reappeared across the sill.
"It was a three-figured check you had from Mr.Steel, was it ?" "Yes--yes--but not so loud!" "And then he sent you to the devil to do your worst ?" "That's your way of putting it." "I do the same--without the check." And the window shut with a slam, the hasp was fastened, and the blind pulled down..