thout any further attempt at farewell Anstice turned on his heel
and walked out of the room; leaving Bruce Cheniston staring after him
with an expression of amazement not untinged with shame in his narrow
blue eyes.

BOOK I

CHAPTER I

"If you please, sir, a telephone message has come for you from Cherry
Orchard just now."

Anstice put down the paper he had been idly studying and looked at the
maid.

"Cherry Orchard? That's the big house on the Littlefield Road, isn't
it?"

"Yes, sir. It has just been reopened, cook tells me."

"Oh. And I am wanted there?"

"Yes, sir. At once, the message was."

"Very good. Tell Andrews to bring round the car immediately. And put
dinner back a bit, Alice, please."

"Yes, sir." The trim maid hurried away, and Anstice rose to obey the
summons, congratulating himself on the fact that the night was fine, and
the Littlefield Road good going.

Ten minutes later he was on his way; and in due course arrived at his
destination, a pretty old gabled house standing in a large and
old-fashioned garden, from whose famous cherry trees the place derived
its quaint name.

Six months earlier Anstice had bought a practice in the Midlands, on the
death of its former owner; but this was the first time he had visited
Cherry Orchard; and as he waited for his ring to be answered he
remembered the maid's remark as to the recent reopening of the house
with a slight feeling of curiosity as to its tenant.

He was not kept waiting long. An elderly manservant speedily appeared;
and his face, which wore a worried expression, lightened as he saw
Anstice standing on the steps.

"Thank God you've come, sir." The gratitude was so obviously sincere
that Anstice felt glad he had not delayed his coming. "If you'll kindly
go upstairs, sir--the housekeeper is waiting for you, I believe."

He relieved Anstice of his hat and coat with hands which shook; and at
the same moment a swarthy, foreign-looking woman hurried forward with
unmistakable eagerness.

"You are the doctor, sir? Then will you come up at once? My mistress is
upstairs, and the sooner you see her the better."

Without wasting time in questioning her, Anstice motioned to the speaker
to lead the way; which she did accordingly, hurrying up the black oak
staircase at a surprising pace; and giving Anstice no time to do more
than glance at the artistic treasures which were in evidence on every
side.

She led him a few steps down a