Mehetabel lightly raised the sheet that covered the child's head.
The stranger stooped and looked at the sleeping child, that seemed to be made uneasy by his glance, and turned moaning away.
"It looks as if it were for another world—not this," said the gentleman.
The flush spread over Mehetabel's brow. "Sir," she said in a fluttering voice, "You are not a doctor, are you?"
"Oh, dear, no!—a barrister."
"Then," said she, in a tone of relief, "you do not know. The child is very well, but young."
"That may be."
The young man returned to his seat.
"I have left a fishing-rod outside," he said. "I wanted Kink to accompany me on one of the ponds where there is a punt. There must be plenty of fish in these sheets of water?"
"I believe there are, sir. As Jonas is away, perhaps Samuel Rocliffe can help you. He is my husband's nephew, and lives in the cottage, a little further down."