n't think
my uncle's looking fit. Mightn't it be better to send for Dr. Onslow?"

"He wouldn't be pleased," Miss Challoner answered dubiously "Still, he
sometimes enjoys a talk with Onslow, who's a tactful man. If he looked
in, as it were, casually----"

"Yes," said Blake; "we'll give him a hint. I'll send the groom with a
note at once."

The doctor came and left without expressing any clear opinion, but when
he returned next day he ordered Challoner to bed and told Blake he
feared a sharp attack of pneumonia. His fears were justified, for it
was some weeks before Challoner was able to leave his room. During his
illness he insisted on his nephew's company whenever the nurses would
allow it, and when he began to recover, again begged him to remain at
Sandymere. He had come to lean upon the younger man and entrusted him
with all the business of the estate, which he was no longer able to
attend to.

"Dick," he said one day when Blake thought he was too ill to perceive
that he was casting a reflection on his son, "I wish my personal means
were larger, so I could give Bertram enough and leave Sandymere to you;
then I'd know the place would be in good hands. On the surface, you're
a happy-go-lucky fellow, but that's deceptive. In reality, you have a
surprising grip of things--however, you know my opinion of you. But
you won't go away, Dick?"

The nurse interrupted them, and Blake was glad he had written to
Harding stating his inability to rejoin him. A week or two later he
received a cable message: "No hurry."

When spring came he was still at Sandymere, for Challoner, who got
better very slowly, would not let him go, and saw Millicent frequently.
At first he felt that this was a weakness, since he had nothing to
offer her except a tainted name, but his love was getting beyond
control and his resistance feebler. After all, he thought, the story
of the Indian disaster must be almost forgotten, and Harding had a good
chance of finding the oil. If the latter had not already started for
the North, he would do so soon, but Blake had had no news from him
since his cabled message.

Then, after a quiet month, things began to happen, for one afternoon
when Challoner had driven over to Hazlehurst with his nephew, Foster
came in from the station, bringing a newspaper. The party was sitting
in the conservatory; Mrs. Keith talking to Challoner, Millicent and
Blake standing close by, but there were no other guests, a