“Here’stheinformationIwant，“hesaidtoAnne；“ifIonlyknewhowtogetatit。’Down’——’Up’——’A。M。’——P。M。’Whatacursedconfusion!Ibelievetheydoitonpurpose。“
　　Annejoinedhimatthefire-place。
　　“Iunderstandit——I’llhelpyou。Didyousayitwastheuptrainyouwanted？“
　　“Whatisthenameofthestationyoustopat？“
　　Arnoldtoldher。Shefollowedtheintricatenet-workoflinesandfigureswithherfinger——suddenlystopped——lookedagaintomakesure——andturnedfromthetime-tablewithafaceofblankdespair。Thelasttrainforthedayhadgoneanhoursince。
　　Inthesilencewhichfollowedthatdiscovery，afirstflashoflightningpassedacrossthewindowandthelowrollofthundersoundedtheoutbreakofthestorm。
　　“What’stobedonenow？“askedArnold。
　　Inthefaceofthestorm，Anneansweredwithouthesitation，“Youmusttakeacarriage，anddrive。“
　　“Drive？Theytoldmeitwasthree-and-twentymiles，byrailway，fromthestationtomyplace——letalonethedistancefromthisinntothestation。“
　　“Whatdoesthedistancematter？Mr。Brinkworth，youcan’tpossiblystayhere!“
　　Asecondflashoflightningcrossedthewindow；therollofthethundercamenearer。EvenArnold’sgoodtemperbegantobealittleruffledbyAnne’sdeterminationtogetridofhim。Hesatdownwiththeairofamanwhohadmadeuphismindnottoleavethehouse。
　　“Doyouhearthat？“heasked，asthesoundofthethunderdiedawaygrandly，andthehardpatteringoftherainonthewindowbecameaudibleoncemore。“IfIorderedhorses，doyouthinktheywouldletmehavethem，insuchweatherasthis？And，iftheydid，doyousupposethehorsescouldfaceitonthemoor？No，no，MissSilvester——Iamsorrytobeintheway，butthetrainhasgone，andthenightandthestormhavecome。Ihavenochoicebuttostayhere!“
　　Annestillmaintainedherownview，butlessresolutelythanbefore。“Afterwhatyouhavetoldthelandlady，“shesaid，“thinkoftheembarrassment，thecruelembarrassmentofourposition，ifyoustopattheinntillto-morrowmorning!“
　　“Isthatall？“returnedArnold。
　　Annelookedupathim，quicklyandangrily。No!hewasquiteunconsciousofhavingsaidanythingthatcouldoffendher。Hisroughmasculinesensebrokeitswayunconsciouslythroughallthelittlefemininesubtletiesanddelicaciesofhiscompanion，andlookedthepositionpracticallyinthefaceforwhatitwasworth，andnomore。“Where’stheembarrassment？“heasked，pointingtothebedroomdoor。“There’syourroom，allreadyforyou。Andhere’sthesofa，inthisroom，allreadyfor_me。_IfyouhadseentheplacesIhavesleptinatsea——!“
　　Sheinterruptedhim，withoutceremony。Theplaceshehadsleptin，atsea，wereofnoearthlyimportance。Theonequestiontoconsider，wastheplacehewastosleepinthatnight。
　　“Ifyoumuststay，“sherejoined，“can’tyougetaroominsomeotherpartofthehouse？“
　　Butonelastmistakeindealingwithher，inherpresentnervouscondition，waslefttomake——andtheinnocentArnoldmadeit。“Insomeotherpartofthehouse？“herepeated，jestingly。“Thelandladywouldbescandalized。Mr。Bishopriggswouldneverallowit!“
　　Sherose，andstampedherfootimpatientlyonthefloor。“Don’tjoke!“sheexclaimed。“Thisisnolaughingmatter。“Shepacedtheroomexcitedly。“Idon’tlikeit!Idon’tlikeit!“
　　Arnoldlookedafterher，withastareofboyishwonder。
　　“Whatputsyououtso？“heasked。“Isitthestorm？“
　　Shethrewherselfonthesofaagain。“Yes，“shesaid，shortly。
　　“It’sthestorm。“
　　Arnold’sinexhaustiblegood-naturewasatoncerousedtoactivityagain。
　　“Shallwehavethecandles，“hesuggested，“andshuttheweatherout？“Sheturnedirritablyonthesofa，withoutreplying。“I’llpromisetogoawaythefirstthinginthemorning!“hewenton。
　　“Dotryandtakeiteasy——anddon’tbeangrywithme。Come!come!
　　youwouldn’tturnadogout，MissSilvester，onsuchanightasthis!“
　　Hewasirresistible。Themostsensitivewomanbreathingcouldnothaveaccusedhimoffailingtowardherinanysingleessentialofconsiderationandrespect。Hewantedtact，poorfellow——butwhocouldexpecthimtohavelearnedthatalwayssuperficialandsometimesdangerousaccomplishment，inthelifehehadledatsea？Atthesightofhishonest，pleadingface，Annerecoveredpossessionofhergentlerandsweeterself。Shemadeherexcusesforherirritabilitywithagracethatenchantedhim。“We’llhaveapleasanteveningofityet!“criedArnold，inhisheartyway——andrangthebell。
　　ThebellwashungoutsidethedoorofthatPatmosinthewilderness——otherwiseknownasthehead-waiter’spantry。Mr。
　　Bishopriggsemployinghisbriefleisureintheseclusionofhisownapartmenthadjustmixedaglassofthehotandcomfortingliquorcalled“toddy“inthelanguageofNorthBritain，andwasjustliftingittohislips，whenthesummonsfromArnoldinvitedhimtoleavehisgrog。
　　“Haudyerscreechin’tongue!“criedMr。Bishopriggs，addressingthebellthroughthedoor。“Ye’rewaurthanawomanwhenyeaincebegin!“
　　Thebell——likethewoman——wentonagain。Mr。Bishopriggs，equallypertinacious，wentonwithhistoddy。
　　“Ay!ay!yemaye’enringyerheartout——butyewon’tpartaScotchmanfromhisglass。It’smaybetheendoftheirdinnerthey’llbewantin’。SirPaitrickcam’inatthefairbeginningofit，andspoiltthecollops，likethedourdeevilheis!“Thebellrangforthethirdtime。“Ay!ay!ringawa’!Idootyonyounggentleman’slittlebetterthanabelly-god——there’sascandaloushastetocomfortthecarnalparto’himina’thisringin’!Heknowsnaethingo’wine，“addedMr。Bishopriggs，onwhosemindArnold’sdiscoveryofthewateredsherrystilldweltunpleasantly。
　　Thelightningquickened，andlitthesitting-roomhorriblywithitsluridglare；thethunderrollednearerandnearerovertheblackgulfofthemoor。Arnoldhadjustraisedhishandtoringforthefourthtime，whentheinevitableknockwasheardatthedoor。Itwasuselesstosay“comein。“TheimmutablelawsofBishopriggshaddecidedthatasecondknockwasnecessary。Stormornostorm，thesecondknockcame——andthen，andnottillthen，thesageappeared，withthedishofuntasted“collops“inhishand。
　　“Candles!“saidArnold。
　　Mr。Bishopriggssetthe“collops“inthelanguageofEngland，mincedmeatuponthetable，litthecandlesonthemantle-piece，facedaboutwiththefireofrecenttoddyflaminginhisnose，andwaitedforfurtherorders，beforehewentbacktohissecondglass。Annedeclinedtoreturntothedinner。ArnoldorderedMr。
　　Bishopriggstoclosetheshutters，andsatdowntodinebyhimself。
　　“Itlooksgreasy，andsmellsgreasy，“hesaidtoAnne，turningoverthecollopswithaspoon。“Iwon’tbetenminutesdining。
　　Willyouhavesometea？“
　　Annedeclinedagain。
　　Arnoldtriedheroncemore。“Whatshallwedotogetthroughtheevening？“
　　“Dowhatyoulike，“sheanswered，resignedly。
　　Arnold’smindwassuddenlyilluminatedbyanidea。
　　“Ihavegotit!“heexclaimed。“We’llkillthetimeasourcabin-passengersusedtokillitatsea。“HelookedoverhisshoulderatMr。Bishopriggs。“Waiter!bringapackofcards。“
　　“What’sthatye’rewantin’？“askedMr。Bishopriggs，doubtingtheevidenceofhisownsenses。
　　“Apackofcards，“repeatedArnold。
　　“Cairds？“echoedMr。Bishopriggs。“Apacko’cairds？Thedeevil’sallegoriesinthedeevil’sowncolors——redandblack!Iwunnaexecuteyerorder。Foryerainsaul’ssake，Iwunnadoit。Ha’yelivedtoyourtimeo’life，andareyeno’awakenedyettotheawfu’seenfulnesso’gamblin’wi’thecairds？“
　　“Justasyouplease，“returnedArnold。“Youwillfindmeawakened——whenIgoaway——totheawfulfollyoffeeingawaiter。“
　　“Doesthatmeanthatye’rebentonthecairds？“askedMr。
　　Bishopriggs，suddenlybetrayingsignsofworldlyanxietyinhislookandmanner。
　　“Yes——thatmeansIambentonthecards。“
　　“Itak’upmytestimonyagainst’em——butI’mno’tellingyethatIcannalaymyhandon’emifIlike。Whatdotheysayinmycountry？’HimthatwilltoCoupar，mauntoCoupar。’Andwhatdotheysayinyourcountry？’Needsmustwhenthedeevildrives。’“
　　Withthatexcellentreasonforturninghisbackonhisownprinciples，Mr。Bishopriggsshuffledoutoftheroomtofetchthecards。
　　Thedresser-drawerinthepantrycontainedachoiceselectionofmiscellaneousobjects——apackofcardsbeingamongthem。Insearchingforthecards，thewaryhandofthehead-waitercameincontactwithamorselofcrumpled-uppaper。Hedrewitout，andrecognizedtheletterwhichhehadpickedupinthesitting-roomsomehourssince。
　　“Ay!ay!I’lldoweel，Itrow，tolookatthiswhilemymind’srunnin’onit，“saidMr。Bishopriggs。“Thecairdsmaye’enfindtheirwaytotheparlorbyotherhandsthanmine。“
　　HeforthwithsentthecardstoArnoldbyhissecondincommand，closedthepantrydoor，andcarefullysmoothedoutthecrumpledsheetofpaperonwhichthetwoletterswerewritten。Thisdone，hetrimmedhiscandle，andbeganwiththeletterinink，whichoccupiedthefirstthreepagesofthesheetofnote-paper。
　　Itranthus：