He came home in triumph. But he
could not restrain his unbounded admiration
for the "masterly generalship" of Mr.
Leader in the presence of that "organised
attack." Such coolness, "aplume"—a
virtue complimentarily adapted from the
French by the Doctor—such readiness of
resource, he had never witnessed. For
himself, he had been quite helpless, "thrown
off his centre" by the suddenness of th'
"invasion." "Ah, there," he said, reflectively;
"there's where men who mix in
the best have the pull on us. You get a
sort of—well, an aplume that's perfectly
invaluable."

CHAPTER IX. THE DOCTOR PROGRESSES.

MR. LEADER could not resist these
compliments. There was great joy through
the house, and Katey's charming and
unaffected gratitude was not the least
agreeable part of the whole. Mr. Leader felt
more happy than he had done since the
first day when he had come into all his
wealth.

He seemed to have flitted back to the
old days of quiet and domestic enjoyment.
He had, besides, taken an extraordinary
fancy to the Doctor, whose surprising
stories and dramas, sometimes given with
wonderful mimetic power, made the hours
fly. But the latter was to compass a more
wonderful "stroke of business" yet; he
felt that these advantages were more or
less shadowy, and that the redoubts which
he had "run up" so hastily were in reality
commanded by the guns of the great Mrs.
Leader. Once more within her influence,
Mr. Leader himself might actually be forced
to assist in laying the very pieces which
were to demolish the Findlater works.
What was wanting, therefore, was some
tangible, substantial point; something in
the way of occupation, in which he could
intrench himself, and whence he could
fight from under shelter.

He had already spoken plainly, and without
any attempt at histrionics, to Mary
about the "cruel slur" thrown upon poor
Katey and her husband; held up in their
native place as if they were "parryers of
the parish." Every old scandal-monger
there could point a shrivelled finger at his
Katey. All that was wanting was a certain
recognition, by way of "an almond."
The Doctor pronounced this French word
in a manner peculiarly his own.

It was Mary who had suggested—as
perhaps he intended that she should—the
shape of this recognition: the exhibition, as
it were, of the newly-married pair, in all
honour and respect, at Leadersfort. With
much warmth and impetuosity the young
girl now urged this upon her father.

"Oh, my dear child, that is going too
far!" he said. "Mrs. Leader would never
consent——"

"If she would not consent to what is the
only just and honourable reparation in our
power, then you are bound, father, to take
it on yourself."

"I know all that of course," he said.
"But you don't think of the fuss and
confusion." Synonyms, as the Doctor would
have said, for the "wigs-in-the-green" and
general "ballyragging" sure to be in store
for him.

The Doctor led up to the same idea by
dwelling abstractedly on various plans for
the comfort of the patient, who was to be
moved by easy stages homewards.

"We must take them in at our little bit
of a place, crib them and cabin them
up-stairs in one of the little cocklofts."

"Surely," said Mary, warmly, "there is
no need that my brother should be treated
in that fashion, while his father's house is
close at hand. It would be a degradation,
not merely to him, but to the family, that
he should be treated in such a way."

"My dear Mary, of course not. But
you know there are difficulties—peculiar
reasons——"

"None that can stand in the way of
what we owe to ourselves, papa. To have
my brother at a house in the village, at
the gate of his own place, that he will
inherit——"

"It's not for me to say anything," said
the Doctor, smiling. "But suppose we
addressed a little round-robin to Mrs.
Leader, and joined in asking her leave to
use the house, just for three or four weeks
—no more? It will be a common charity.
A race over those lovely meadows, and
the air of those charming gardens, will
do him more good than a dozen quacks
like myself, or th'own physician to the
Queen."

Mr. Leader saw that this was said in
the most natural manner conceivable; he
could take no offence. Then answered
suddenly, "Oh, there is no need to consult
Mrs. Leader about it. She will, of course,
do what ever I propose."

"My dear sir, who doubts it? I wish
to Heaven I could get her interest with you
for a fat place; you're the people, after
all, Mr. Leader. The great ter'torial