e piercingly green in the
morning light. "Your visit," he said, "is a direct violation of my
orders. I must trouble you to conclude it at once."

He had never used that tone to her before. She opened her eyes very
wide, meeting his look with the utmost nonchalance.

"Dear me!" she said. "How fierce we are this morning! And what if Olga
prefers my company to yours?"

"That has nothing to do with it," he returned. "I am here
professionally.".

"And if Olga is not requiring your professional services?" she suggested
daringly.

"Oh, Violet dear, I think you had better go," interposed Olga nervously.
"You can come back again when you are dressed."

Violet's beautiful eyes suddenly gleamed. She moved to the door,
stepping daintily with her bare feet.

"Dr. Wyndham," she said, "I congratulate you on your conquest. It has
been a ridiculously easy capture, but I warned her she had met her fate
long ago. No doubt she has wisely decided that to run away any longer
would be a waste of energy. _En tout cas_,--" she made an airy gesture
of the hands,--"my blessing be upon you both!"

And with that, lightly she crossed the threshold, and was gone, flitting
like a sunbeam from the room.

Quietly Max closed the door. He did not look at Olga, but walked
straight to the window and stood there with his back turned and his
hands in his pockets, staring outwards.

"I hope you don't object to an early visit," he said, after a moment. "I
want to get my rounds done in good time to-day, and I didn't like to
leave without seeing you first."

"I don't mind at all," stammered Olga in reply. "But--really, there's
no reason for you to--to bother about me. I've had a good night,
and--and I'm going to get up."

"Really?" he said. "You're not going raspberry picking, I hope?"

She laughed somewhat tremulously. Violet's vindictive thrust had
embarrassed rather than hurt her. She looked at the great square
shoulders that intervened between her eyes and the morning sunshine, and
wondered why he did not turn. Was it possible that he could be feeling
embarrassed too? She could scarcely imagine it; but yet the position was
sufficiently intolerable for him also.

"I'm afraid the raspberries will have to go," she said regretfully,
"unless the boys--"

"They would probably eat 'em as fast as they picked 'em," observed Max
grimly. "I know boys."

Again, rather feebly, she laughed. "It seems a pity," she said.

"I shouldn't worry," said Max.