bject, saying, "But it was only the woman that was
cruel."

"She had not her Sepoy face for nothing."

"Did I hear that Miss Williams knew her?"

"Yes, it seems she was a maid who had once been very cruel to little
Rose Williams. The Colonel seems to think the discovery may have
important consequences. I hardly know how."

This conversation sent Rachel out of the dining-room more like herself
than she had entered it; but she ran upstairs at once to Lovedy, and
remained with her till disinterred by the desperate Grace, who could not
see three people talking together without blushing with indignation at
the construction they were certainly putting on her sister's scarlet
cheeks and absence from the drawing-room. With all Grace's efforts,
however, she could not bring her truant back before the gentlemen had
come in. Captain Keith had seen their entrance, and soon came up to
Rachel.

"How is your patient?" he asked.

"She is very ill; and the worst of it is, that it seems such agony to
her to attempt to swallow."

"Have you had advice for her?"

"No; I have often treated colds, and I thought this a case, aggravated
by that wicked treatment."

"Have you looked into her mouth?"

"Yes; the skin is frightfully brown and dry."

He leant towards her, and asked, in an under tone--

"Did you ever see diphtheria?"

"No!"--her brow contracting--"did you?"

"Yes; we had it through all the children of the regiment at Woolwich."

"You think this is it?"

He asked a few more questions, and his impression was evidently
confirmed.

"I must send for Mr. Frampton," said Rachel, homeopathy succumbing to
her terror; but then, with a despairing glance, she beheld all the male
part of the establishment handing tea.

"Where does he live? I'll send him up."

"Thank you, oh! thank you. The house with the rails, under the east
cliff."

He was gone, and Rachel endured the reeling of the lights, and the
surges of talk, and the musical performances that seemed to burst the
drum of her ear; and, after all, people went away, saying to each other
that there was something very much amiss, and that poor dear Mrs. Curtis
was very much to blame for not having controlled her daughters.

They departed at last, and Grace, without uttering the terrible word,
was explaining to the worn-out mother that little Lovedy was more
unwell, and that Captain Keith had kindly offered to fetch the doctor,
when the Captain himself returned.

"I a