r, and gave deft touches to the disordered attire. On the colourless
face the bruises stood out with increasing distinctness, the lips were
swollen, the eyes seemed to have retreated into the head. Grizel seized
a light scarf, tied it hoodwise under the chin, and pulled forward the
screening folds. She had a woman's tender commiseration for the loss of
beauty, a woman's natural instinct to conceal it from masculine eyes.
Thus the Squire, hurrying forward, beheld his wife sitting erect,
orderly in attire, with face discreetly shaded.

"Good God, Cass, you gave me a fright! I've run all the way...
Swallowed a bone, eh? Beastly carelessness. Peeling all right now?"

For a moment Grizel felt inclined to repent that shrouding veil!

"She's _not_ at all right, Mr Raynor. It was a terrible time... We
must get her home as quickly as possible, and put her to bed."

"Poor old Cass!" said the Squire kindly. "Feel a bit played out, eh?
It's all over, you know; all over now. We'll soon have you all right.
Think you could walk, if I gave you an arm? The car is waiting, at the
end of the field."

Cassandra rose with unexpected strength, and the Squire tucked her arm
in his, with a pat of reassurement. "That's a good girl. Told you you
weren't half as bad as you thought! You'll feel A1 after an hour's
rest."

The two figures passed on in advance, Cassandra's head bowed low over
her breast, and the three who were left, stared after them in dumb
amaze. Martin had passed his arm round Grizel's shoulder, and she clung
to him, trembling with mingled misery and indignation.

"Martin! Martin! she nearly died... she was fighting for her life
before our eyes! It was horrible,--the most ghastly horror. We felt as
if we should go mad, too. She has been down to the very gates of death,
and he smiles, he jokes,--he is as calm as if nothing had happened! Has
he _no_ heart?"

"No imagination, dearest. That's the trouble. Nothing is real to him
that he hasn't seen. You poor girls! you look worn out yourselves.
Come! there will be room for you in the car, and you will want to look
after her when she gets home. I'll come back, and wait till the men
arrive for the hampers."

He held out his free hand and slid it through Teresa's arm.

"Your man is chasing the doctor. You'll find him waiting at home. What
a comfort that he was with you!"

"He saved her life," Teresa said. "Not one man in a thousand would have
done a