Sir Louis, if he continued his brilliant career of success, would soon be left the cock of the walk.  The squire, to be sure, could not bolt, nor could the doctor very well; but they might be equally vanquished, remaining there in their chairs.  Dr Thorne, during all this time, was sitting with tingling ears.  Indeed, it may be said that his whole body tingled.  He was in a manner responsible for this horrible scene; but what could he do to stop it?  He could not take Sir Louis up bodily and carry him away.  One idea did occur to him.  The fly had been ordered for ten o’clock.  He could rush out and send for it instantly.

‘You’re not going to leave me?’ said the squire, in a voice of horror, as he saw the doctor rising from his chair.

‘Oh, no, no, no,’ said the doctor; and then he whispered the purpose of his mission.  ‘I will be back in two minutes.’  The doctor would have given twenty pounds to have closed the scene at once; but he was not the man to desert his friend in such a strait as that.

‘He’s a well-meaning fellow, the doctor,’ said Sir Louis, when his guardian was out of the room, ’very; but he’s not up to trap—­not at all.’

’Up to trap—­well, I should say he was; that is, if I know what trap means,’ said Frank.

’Ah, but that’s just the ticket.  Do you know?  Now I say Dr Thorne’s not a man of the world.’

‘He’s about the best man I know, or ever heard of,’ said the squire.  ’And if any man ever had a good friend, you have got one in him; and so have I:’  and the squire silently drank the doctor’s health.

’All very true, I dare say; but yet he’s not up to trap.  Now look here, squire—­’

‘If you don’t mind, sir,’ said Frank, ’I’ve got something very particular—­perhaps, however—­’

‘Stay till Thorne returns, thanks Frank.’

Frank did stay till Thorne returned, and then escaped.

‘Excuse me, doctor,’ said he, ’but I’ve something very particular to say; I’ll explain to-morrow.’  And then the three were left alone.

Sir Louis was now becoming almost drunk, and was knocking his words together.  The squire had already attempted to stop the bottle; but the baronet had contrived to get hold of a modicum of Madeira, and there was no preventing him from helping himself; at least, none at the moment.

‘As we were saying about lawyers,’ continued Sir Louis.  ’Let’s see, what were we saying?  Why, squire, it’s just here.  These fellows will fleece us both if we don’t mind what we are after.’

‘Never mind about lawyers now,’ said Dr Thorne, angrily.

’Ah, but I do mind; most particularly.  That’s all very well for you, doctor; you’ve nothing to lose.  You’ve no great stake in the matter.  Why, now, what sum of money of mine do you think those d——­ doctors are handling?’

‘D——­ doctors!’ said the squire in a tone of dismay.

’Lawyers, I mean, of course.  Why, now, Gresham, we’re all totted now, you see; you’re down in my books, I take it, for pretty near a hundred thousand pounds.’