at makes you think it is lumbago?"

"He has been sitting over the fire for hours, doing nothing. When I
asked him to come and look at these plans, he said another time would
do. And you know how he is always ready to look at plans, or do anything
I wish."

"He didn't say he was unwell?"

"No, I only supposed so."

She passed on, and at the same moment Leonore appeared.

"There you are!" cried Sybil gaily. "Come along, and be sociable. You
have been a most unsociable little creature all day. Now then, aren't
you coming?"

But Leo was not coming. Obviously she was disconcerted at sight of her
sister, and shook her head as though vexed at being accosted.

"Nonsense! Don't go hiding yourself again," resumed Sybil. "What's the
use of moping? And it doesn't make it any pleasanter for the rest of us
that Paul is in the dumps in one room, and you in another. We are none
too cheerful without that."

"Where is Paul?"

"In the library. Over the fire. So Maud says, and declares he has
lumbago. I don't believe it. He simply doesn't want to be bothered with
her and her eternal 'plans'."

"You are sure he is there?"

"Go and look for yourself if you doubt Maud's word. Why? Do you want
him?"

But Leo threw her a strange look, a look of such bitter, ironical
meaning, that she appended hastily; "You are not such a little fool as
to be worrying yourself over those two and their affairs? Maud won't
thank you if you do. She is rather put out as it is, because I hinted
that you took to heart our going more than she did. I didn't _say_ so,
you know--but I should, if she had gone on much longer. However, she
went off to Paul."

"And Paul is safe, in there?"

"Paul is safe--in there. Let sleeping dogs lie. Well? Oh, Leo, you
really are too bad,--" for Leo had turned at the words, and was
remounting the staircase.

"One can't say a word to her that she doesn't vanish on the instant,"
muttered Sybil; "how I do dislike that way she has got into! And when
Maud goes, of course I shall have to take up with Leo. Hullo! Sue?"

"I was looking for Leo," said Sue.

"Did you look in the only place you were likely to find her? She has
hardly been out of her room all day."

"Has she not been out-of-doors at all? Poor child!"

"I tried to get her to come for a walk this morning, but she wouldn't."

"She seems----" said Sue, and stopped short.

"Yes, we all know what she seems, and is: in an uncommonly bad temper,
for some reason o