the picnic, except for a
few chance minutes, when he had expressed over again, rather in tone
than in words, the sentiment before implied.

Algitha and Miss Du Prel were relieved to see that Hadria had, after
all, taken their advice. Without making any violent or obvious change in
her conduct, she had ceased to cause her friends anxiety. Something in
her manner had changed. Claude Moreton felt it instantly. He spoke of
leaving Craddock Place, but he lingered on. The house had begun to
empty. Lady Engleton wished to have some time to herself. She was
painting a new picture. But Professor Theobald remained. Joseph Fleming
went away to stay with his married sister. About this time Hubert had to
go abroad to attend to some business matters of a serious and tedious
character, connected with a law-suit in which he was professionally
interested.

From some instinct which Hadria found difficult to account for, she
avoided meeting the Professor alone. Yet the whole interest of the day
centred in the prospect of seeing him. If by chance, she missed him, she
felt flat and dull, and found herself going over in her mind every
detail of their last meeting. He had the art of making his most
trifling remark interesting. Even his comments on the weather had a
colour and quality of their own. Lady Engleton admired his lightness of
touch.

"Did you know that our amiable Professor shews his devotion to you, by
devotion to your _protegee_?" she asked one day, when she met Hadria
returning from the Priory with the two boys, whose holidays were not yet
over. "I saw him coming out of the child's cottage this morning, and she
shewed me the toy he had given her."

"He is very fond of her, I know," said Hadria.

"He gives her lots of things!" cried Jack, opening round and envious
eyes.

"How do _you_ know, sir?" enquired Lady Engleton.

"Because Mary says so," Jack returned.

Hadria was pleased at the kindness which the act seemed to indicate.

The doctor had ordered her to be in the open air as much as possible,
and to take a walk every day. Sometimes she would walk with the boys,
sometimes alone. In either case, the thought of Professor Theobald
pursued her. She often grew wearied with it, but it could not be
banished. If she saw a distant figure on the road, a little sick,
excited stir of the heart, betrayed her suspicion that it might be he.
She could not sincerely wish herself free from the strange infatuation,
for the thought of