asked when she concluded.

"I will ask you to drive me over at once to Weymouth. I shall not feel
comfortable until I have placed the will in Mr. Tallboys' hands; and
directly I have done that I shall go over to Brussels. I may perhaps
get there before any great battle is fought; and I should like to see
Ralph before that, if possible, and at any rate be there to nurse him
if he was wounded. I shall ask Mr. Tallboys if he can spare time to go
across with me to Brussels. I should not want him to stop there, but
only to take me over. I should think there would be no difficulty in
hiring a small vessel at Weymouth to take me to Ostend, especially as
money is no object now. If Mr. Tallboys cannot spare time himself, he
can send a clerk with me or get somebody who will take me in charge;
but at any rate I intend to go by myself if necessary. I do not
suppose it will cause any delay about the will, Mr. Withers; for of
course there must be some trouble in having it proved."

"It can make no difference, Mrs. Conway. I do not give that the least
thought. I will go round at once and tell William to put in the
horses."

"Mabel and I will go over too, James," Mrs. Withers said; "we cannot
sit quiet all day after this excitement. Beside, I want to hear what
Mr. Tallboys says."

Mr. Withers returned in a few minutes, looking grave.

"William has just come up from the village, and says that half an hour
ago a man rode up from the Hall with word that the doctor was to go
over at once, for that Eleanor Penfold had just had a stroke or fit of
some sort and was terribly bad. I am sorry this new trouble has
befallen them; but they have brought it entirely upon themselves, poor
ladies. However, justice must be done; but I am sure you will agree
with me, Mrs. Conway, that if the matter can possibly be arranged
without exposure and publicity it shall be done so."

CHAPTER XVII.

QUATRE BRAS.

At ten o'clock Captain O'Connor returned and Lieutenant Desmond
hurried off.

"Were you sorry to leave, O'Connor?" Ralph asked that officer.

"No; I was glad to get away," he replied. "Knowing as I do that in
another twenty-four hours we may be engaged, and that in forty-eight
the greatest battle of the age may take place, it was horribly sad to
look on at the scene and wonder how many of the men laughing and
flirting and dancing so gayly there would be so soon lying stark and
cold, how many broken hearts there would be among the wom