to look very
old, Deb," remarked the doctor; "Amilly also."

It was a cruel shaft. A bitter return for their loving welcome. Perhaps
they _were_ looking older, but he need not have said it so point blank,
and before Jan. They turned crimson, poor ladies, and bent to sip their
tea, and tried to turn the words off with a laugh, and did not know
where to look. In true innate delicacy of feeling, Dr. West and his
daughter, Sibylla, rivalled each other.

The meal over, the doctor proposed to pay a visit to Deerham Court, and
did so, Jan walking with him, first of all mentioning to Deborah the
wish expressed by Dr. West as to occupying Jan's room for the night,
that she might see the arrangement carried out.

Which she did. And Jan, at the retiring hour--though this is a little
anticipating, for the evening is not yet over--escorted the doctor to
the door of the room, and wished him a good night's rest, never
imagining but that he enjoyed one. But had fire, or any other accident,
burst open the room to public gaze in the lone night hours, Dr. West
would have been seen at work, instead of asleep. Every drawer of the
bureau was out, every paper it contained was misplaced. The doctor was
evidently searching for something, as sedulously as he had once searched
for that lost prescription, which at the time appeared so much to
disturb his peace.

CHAPTER LXXVII.

AN EVENING AT LADY VERNER'S.

In the well-lighted drawing-room at Deerham Court was its mistress, Lady
Verner. Seated with her on the same sofa was her son, Lionel. Decima, at
a little distance, was standing talking to Lord Garle. Lucy Tempest sat
at the table cutting the leaves of a new book; and Sibylla was bending
over the fire in a shivering attitude, as if she could not get enough of
its heat. Lord Garle had been dining with them.

The door opened and Jan entered. "I have brought you a visitor,
Sibylla," said he, in his unceremonious fashion, without any sort of
greeting to anybody. "Come in, doctor."

It caused quite a confusion, the entrance of Dr. West. All were
surprised. Lionel rose, Lucy rose; Lord Garle and Decima came forward,
and Sibylla sprang towards him with a cry. Lady Verner was the only one
who retained entire calmness.

"Papa! it cannot be you! When did you come?"

Dr. West kissed her, and turned to Lady Verner with some courtly words.
Dr. West was an adept at such. Not the courtly words that spring
genuinely from a kindly and refi