Mrs. Jones looked round and lowered her voice. "If that's the case," she demanded, "why 'as 'e run away?"
"He hasn't run away," said Colin. "He's coming back to-morrow or the next day. He's only gone up north to look after his wife's mother."
There was a pause.
"Well," said Mrs. Jones doubtfully, "I 'as my own opinions on that point, but seein' as 'ow you're a friend of 'is I don't blame you for standin' up for 'im. Besides, between you an' me, young man, I wouldn't get Doctor Hashton into trouble, not on no account. We all make mistakes at times, even the best of us. You give me a bottle o' the yeller medicine, the same as I always 'as, an' I sha'n't say no more about it."
"Right you are," said Colin. He rose from his chair, and, crossing to the cupboard where Mark kept two or three innocuous and highly coloured mixtures ready made up, filled a bottle with the desired specific.
Mrs. Jones inspected it with approval.
"I'm much obliged to you, young man," she observed. "Hall's well that hends well, as the sayin' is. You can tell the doctor from me that 'e won't 'ear no more o' this, so 'e can come back 'ome just as soon as ever 'e likes."
She tucked away the bottle in her bag and made her exit through the side door, which Colin had stepped forward to open for her. As she passed out Martha Jane appeared in the passage.
"Are you ready for lunch, sir?" she inquired.
"I'm more than ready," said Colin. "I'm positively aching for it."