Page:Joan, the curate.djvu/70

64 "Ay, sir."

Tregenna bowed and withdrew. Halfway down the garden path he heard a noise behind him, and turned. Parson Langney was busy rolling the keg of brandy into his house. On meeting the lieutenant's eyes, the parson, hardly pausing in his labor, sang out with much simplicity—

"Tis but the physician's fee, sir. And sure, the laborer is worthy of his hire!"

And with that, he gave the keg a final roll, got it within doors, and drew the bolt.