they were obliged to leave it for the
time being. Blanche boldly suggested a locksmith, but the doctor, unable
to see any necessity that the box should be opened, pooh-poohed the
idea.

"Nonsense," he said, rather sharply. "I won't have any workmen tampering
with it. Don't let me hear any more about it."

The doctor wanted to keep things as they had been, and did not approve
of any alterations in the house, and he was probably afraid that the box
might be injured by any attempts to open it forcibly. After this the
girls stopped talking about it, but continued to think about it a good
deal.

July slipped away and August came. Mr. Forester had invited some friends
for the shooting, and the Twelfth saw quite a large party assembled at
Braeside. Dr. Hunter forbade Marjory to go while the strangers were
there. He gave no reason for so doing. He did not wish her to go, and
that was enough. He expected Marjory's implicit obedience, without
question on her part or explanation on his. The truth was that the
doctor was afraid that some casual stranger, seeing Marjory, and perhaps
hearing her story, might put two and two together, as the saying is, and
convey to Mr. Davidson the information which had been so long and so
carefully withheld.

Marjory felt rebellion in her heart, and for a day or two returned to
her old sullen mood with her uncle. Blanche came and begged that her
friend might be allowed to go just once to a picnic luncheon on the
moor, but the doctor was firm in his refusal. He himself was invited to
dine at Braeside, but he declined the invitation, courteously but
firmly. So there was nothing to be done but to submit. Blanche came to
Hunters' Brae as often as she could, but Marjory was very glad when the
visitors went away, and she was able to go in and out at Braeside as
before.

These were the happiest weeks the girl had ever known. The two friends
spent long sunshiny days together, but though it was very delightful to
ramble about with Blanche, and to show the town-bred girl some of the
sights and pleasures of the country, Marjory secretly longed for the
eighteenth of September and the commencement of those lessons she so
ardently wished for. It was quite certain that Blanche had no such
longings, for she constantly expressed her satisfaction in the extra
week of holidays, and wished it were longer. Blanche was a good and
industrious scholar during lesson times, but she was honestly glad when
they were ove