CHAPTER X.
"Bid physicians talk our veins to temper, And with an argument new-set a pulse; Then think, my lord, of reasoning into love." YOUNG.
While the scene just related, took place in the chamber of the sick man, Admiral Bluewater, Mrs.Dutton, and Mildred left the house, in the old family-coach.

The rear-admiral had pertinaciously determined to adhere to his practice of sleeping in his ship; and the manner in which he had offered seats to his two fair companions--for Mrs.Dutton still deserved to be thus termed--has already been seen.

The motive was simply to remove them from any further brutal exhibitions of Dutton's cupidity, while he continued in his present humour; and, thus influenced, it is not probable that the gallant old sailor would be likely to dwell, more than was absolutely necessary, on the unpleasant scene of which he had been a witness.

In fact, no allusion was made to it, during the quarter of an hour the party was driving from the Hall to the station-house.
They all spoke, with regret,--Mildred with affectionate tenderness, even,--of poor Sir Wycherly; and several anecdotes, indicative of his goodness of heart, were eagerly related to Bluewater, by the two females, as the carriage moved heavily along.

In the time mentioned, the vehicle drew up before the door of the cottage, and all three alighted.
If the morning of that day had been veiled in mist, the sun had set in as cloudless a sky, as is often arched above the island of Great Britain.