n, whose mind is at ease,
to occupy the place which I am for the present unfit to fill." Having
completed her letter in those terms, she waited Benjulia's return.

There was sadness in her face, but no agitation, as she looked patiently
towards the bedroom door. At last--in her inmost heart, she knew it--the
victory over herself was a victory won. Carmina could trust her now; and
Ovid himself should see it!

Mr. Null returned to the sitting-room alone. Doctor Benjulia had no time
to spare: he had left the bedroom by the other door.

"I may say (as you seem anxious) that my colleague approves of a
proposal, on my part, to slightly modify the last prescription. We
recognise the new symptoms, without feeling alarm." Having issued this
bulletin, Mr. Null sat down to make his feeble treatment of his patient
feebler still.

When he looked up again, the room was empty. Had she left the house?
No: her travelling hat and her gloves were on the other table. Had she
boldly confronted Teresa on her own ground?

He took his modified prescription into the bedroom. There she was, and
there sat the implacable nurse, already persuaded into listening to her!
What conceivable subject could there be, which offered two such women
neutral ground to meet on? Mr. Null left the house without the faintest
suspicion that Carmina might be the subject.

"May I try to rouse her?"

Teresa answered by silently resigning her place at the bedside. Miss
Minerva touched Carmina's hand, and spoke. "Have you heard the good
news, dear? Ovid is coming back in little more than a week."

Carmina looked--reluctantly looked--at her friend, and said, with an
effort, "I am glad."

"You will be better," Miss Minerva continued, "the moment you see him."

Her face became faintly animated. "I shall be able to say good-bye," she
answered.

"Not good-bye, darling. He is returning to you after a long journey."

"I am going, Frances, on a longer journey still." She closed her eyes,
too weary or too indifferent to say more.

Miss Minerva drew back, struggling against the tears that fell fast over
her face. The jealous old nurse quietly moved nearer to her, and kissed
her hand. "I've been a brute and a fool," said Teresa; "you're almost as
fond of her as I am."

A week later, Miss Minerva left London, to wait for Ovid at Queenstown.

CHAPTER LVII.

Mr. Mool was in attendance at Fairfield Gardens, when his old friend
arrived from Scotland, to tell hi