frequently."

"I didn't. I believe Hat did."

"Yes--his rooms being up-stairs, and opening on that gallery where she
used to promenade so much, it was natural that he should see more of
her. It worried Jeannie Bruce not a little. I never knew whether she
cared for Mr. Hatton or not until Miss Forrest took to parading up and
down in front of his rooms."

"Hat says she never came as far as his window. She turned about before
she reached the hall-door always."

"Tell me, Mac. Do you think Mr. Hatton liked her?"

McLean's pale face flushed a little. He felt that questions were
trembling on her lips which he did not wish to answer, and the one
thing he could not do was equivocate.

"I'd rather you'd wait and ask him," he finally said.

"Oh! I don't mean as he likes Janet Bruce; what I meant was--well, you
or he or both of you--did you feel that you--well--trusted her?"

McLean fairly squirmed in his nest under the sheets. This was just the
drift he had dreaded. How he wished Weeks would come in and tell her
they were talking too much and would be sure to throw him into a fever
again, but no Weeks was to be had; he had gone home for a rest, and
probably would not appear again until afternoon. He glanced uneasily
into the front room.

"No! The hospital attendant is not there, Mac. I sent him off on an
errand. You need not be afraid of his hearing,--and, besides, he has
heard you talk about her. I thought you ought to know."

"Has heard me talk about her,--Miss Forrest? What on earth do you mean,
Mrs. Miller?" And now he had turned toward her, his face filled with
anxiety and alarm.

"Don't worry, Mac. I found it out instantly. You know he is a married
man, and his wife has been my laundress for over five years. You talked
about her when you were delirious,--not very much,--nothing--nothing I
did not already know; but Dr. Weeks turned him away and took care of
you from the moment Lachlan went for him and told him you were talking
wild, and of course his wife wormed out of him why he was not needed
for two days, and, little by little, what you had said. Luckily she
came right to me, and I put a stopper on her tongue."

"My God! My God! What have I done?" moaned McLean, as he threw his arm
over his eyes. "What did I say? What have I revealed, Mrs. Miller? I
must know."

"Nothing; again I assure you, nothing that we--that is--I--did not
already have good cause to suspect and know. It came to me from
Robinson, Mac,