I acquitted Tom. "No," I said, "that was my old housekeeper—trying to make a job for me."
Perrot saluted the veteran joke heartily.
"I was up with your neighbours at Felonsdene the other day," I said.
"Ah!" said Perrot, grimly. "Man ill?"
"No. His wife's just got a baby."
"And you attended her. Very good of you. Vet's work I should have called that."
"You don't know them, do you?"
"Nor want. Not but what he and his dog did me a good turn once. If you like to take the message, sir, you can tell Tarn that Mr Perrot of Sandene would be glad to give him five sovereigns for that dog. So I would too, and not think twice about it."
"I'll tell him," I said. "What was the good turn?"
"I lost a couple of sheep. And that annoyed me, though they were marked and pretty sure to be brought back some time. Still I was annoyed that night, you ask the missus if I wasn't."