WYLDER'S HAJVD.
381
tune, ball in hand, at the other end; will it be swift round-
hand, or a slow twister, or a shooter, or a lob?
Lake fancied that the man was driving wrong, once or
twice, and was on the point of cursing him to that effect,
from the window. But at last, with an anxious throb at
his heart, he caught sight of the dingy archway, and the
cracked brown marble tablet over the keystone, and he
recognised Shive's Court.
So forth jumped the Captain, so far relieved, and glid-
ed into the dim quadrangle, with its square of smoky sky
overhead; and the prattle of children playing on the
flags, and the scrape of a violin from a window, were in
his ears, but as it were unheard. He was looking up at
a window, with a couple of sooty scarlet geraniums in it.
This was the court where Dame Dutton dwelt. He glid-
ed up her narrow stair and let himself in by the latch;
and with his cane made a smacking like a harlequin's
sword upon the old woman's deal table, crying: "Mrs.
Dutton; Mrs. Dutton. Is Mrs. Dutton at home?"
The old lady, who was a laundress, entered, in a short
blue cotton wrapper, wiping the suds from her shrunken
. but sinewy arms with her apron, and on seeing the Cap-
tain, her countenance, which was threatening, became
very reverential indeed.
"How d'ye do, Mrs. Dutton? Quite well. Have
you heard lately from Jim?"
"No."
"You'll see him soon, however, and give him this note,
d'ye see, and tell him I was here, asking about you and
him, and very well, and glad if I can serve him again;
don't forget that, very glad. Where will you keep that
note? Oh! your tea-caddy, not a bad safe; and see,
give him this, it's ten pounds. You won't forget; and
you want a new gown, Mrs. Dutton. I'd choose it my-