if there
were decline in the family;' and in spite of the smile, the great blue
eyes looked ghastly; 'and he forbade exertion, and ordered good living
and cod-liver oil.'

'Then surely you should be taking care.'

'So I am. These are very good-natured people, and I'm a treasure of a
governess, you know. I have refections ten times a day, and might swim
in port wine, and the little Swiss _bonne_ walks the children, and gives
them an awful accent, which their mamma thinks the correct thing.'

'Change--rest--you should have them.'

'I shall, when Owen comes. It is summer-time, and I shall hold on till
then, when it will be plenty of time to see whether this is nonsense.'

'Whether what is?'

'About my lungs. Don't look horrified. He could only trace the remains
of a stupid old cold, and if it were more, I know of no fact of so little
moment to anybody.'

'You should not say that, Lucy; it is wrong and cruel.'

'It is your fault; I did not want to have talked of it, and in good time
here comes half my flock. Edie, Reggie, Flo, come and show Miss Fulmort
what my torments are.'

They ran in, apparently on excellent terms with her, and greeted her
guest without shyness; but after a little whispering and shoving the
youngest spoke. 'Edie and Reggie want to know if she is the lady that
put out the light?'

'Ah! you heroine,' said Lucy, 'you don't know how often I have told of
your doughty deeds! Ay, look at her, she is the robber-baffler; though
now I look at her I don't quite believe it myself.'

'But it is true?' asked the little girl, puzzled.

'Tell us all the story,' added the boy.

'Yes; tell us,' said Lucilla. 'I read all your evidence, so like
yourself as it was, but I want to know where you were sleeping.'

Phoebe found her present audience strangely more embarrassing than the
whole assize court, perhaps because there the solemn purpose swallowed up
the sense of admiration; but she laughed at last at the boy's
disappointment at the escape of the thieves; 'he would have fired a
pistol through the keyhole and shot them!' When she rose to go, the
children entreated her to stay and be seen by the others, but this she
was glad to escape, though Lucilla clung to her with a sort of anguish of
longing, yet stifled affection, that would have been most painful to
witness, but for the hopes for her relief.

Phoebe ordered her brother's carriage in time to take her to breakfast in
Woolstone-lane the ne