e soon, mind."

Voices were heard outside at the moment, and Leonore swiftly turned and
opened the door.

"Come in, Sue, come in and find me out. I've been trying to get
doctored,"--and she ran on glibly--but directly the conference was over,
shamefaced and crestfallen she flew to be alone.

"He saw; oh, how horrible, how detestable! How could I stoop to it?" For
hours she rang the changes on this theme.

And the very next day, Sue, alarmed and repentant, herself conveyed her
young sister up to London.

CHAPTER XI.

DR. CRAIG'S WISDOM.

A friend who did not obtrude himself upon the departing travellers, but
spied from the background, rubbed his hands as the train moved off.

Then as the big Boldero omnibus turned empty homewards, Dr. Craig stood
still for a moment in thought, consulted his watch, and finally walked
briskly up the street to his own door.

"What is it?" demanded a voice from an upper window; "forgotten
anything, Humpty?"--and the attentive wife prepared to fly down.

"No, no; stay where you are." Humpty waved her back. "I have some work
to do at home this morning," and he stepped into the surgery, where on
this occasion his young assistant was dutifully busy.

"Hey, I'm going to send you for a run, Tommy; you can finish here when
you come in. Take your bicycle, and go to Mrs. Brooks--you know the
house? You don't? Well, you know Ashford Mill? It's near by. Any one
will tell you the road. Call, and say I'm not coming till to-morrow if
all's going on well. Of course, if I'm wanted, I can look in--let's
see--some time this evening. But I don't expect I shall be wanted. And
Tommy----"

"Yes, sir?"

"You needn't hurry back. Take your time, and get a breath of good air
over the downs."

"Thank you, sir,"--but the dejected countenance did not brighten, and
the rejoinder was mechanical. A few days before what a prospect would
have opened at the above words, now it mattered not to Tommy Andrews
what he did nor where he went. He continued to pound away with his back
turned.

"Come, be off!" said Dr. Craig, good-naturely. "I came back on purpose
to set you free. By the way--ahem!--you need not be afraid of meeting
any one; you won't be tempted to break your word--not that you would, of
course,--but, well, I thought I'd just mention it--the ladies are off to
London."

"The--the ladies, sir?"

"The Boldero ladies. Two of them, at least,--Miss Sue and Mrs. Stubbs. I
was at the station ju