ould gather some hemlock leaves and send them
to me. I want them for my ointment; the stuff the chemists sell is no
good. Your mother's eyes are bad again; and your brother Berkeley has
been gambling, and seems to think I ought to pay his debts for him. I
am greatly worried over it all, and I hope that, until you have settled
yourself, you will be more reasonable, and not run these everlasting
bills upon me. You are enjoying yourself out of reach of all the
unpleasantness; but it bears hardly upon

"Your affectionate father,

"C.B. LINDSAY."

A faint sketch of the lines Time intended to engrave on Gertrude's brow
appeared there as she read the letter; but she hastened to give the
admiral's kind regards to her host and hostess, and discussed her
mother's health feelingly with them. After breakfast she went to the
library, and wrote her reply:

"BRANDON BEECHES,

"Tuesday.

"Dear Papa: Considering that it is more than three years since you
paid Madame Smith last, and that then her bill, which included my court
dress, was only L150, I cannot see how I could possibly have been more
economical, unless you expect me to go in rags. I am sorry that Madame
Smith has asked for the money at such an inconvenient time, but when I
begged you to pay her something in March last year you told me to keep
her quiet by giving her a good order. I am not surprised at her not
being very civil, as she has plenty of tradesmen's daughters among her
customers who pay her more than L300 a year for their dresses. I am
wearing a skirt at present which I got two years ago.

"Sir Charles is going to town on Thursday; he will bring you the
hemlock. Tell mamma that there is an old woman here who knows some
wonderful cure for sore eyes. She will not tell what the ingredients
are, but it cures everyone, and there is no use in giving an oculist two
guineas for telling us that reading in bed is bad for the eyes, when
we know perfectly well that mamma will not give up doing it. If you pay
Berkeley's debts, do not forget that he owes me L3.

"Another schoolfellow of mine is staying here now, and I think that Mr.
Trefusis will have the pleasure of paying her bills some day. He is a
great pet of Lady Brandon's. Sir Charles was angry at first because she
invited him here, and we were all surprised at it. The man has a bad
reputation, and headed a mob that threw down the walls of the park; and
we hardly thought he would be cool enough to come after