ude Senora Toda and her daughter, Senorita
Inez Toda, who, after spending the winter in the Riviera, are now
returning to their home in Argentina."

"Captain Arthur Holliday, well known in Paris and in Cannes, is staying
at Claridge's before sailing from Marseilles for South America, where
he has important interests."

Esther lapsed into the vernacular of her adopted country.

"Well, what do you know about that?" she exclaimed, turning wide eyes
on her companion. "So he is going, after all."

"So it appears. His Spanish friends have him in tow. I wish them joy."

Esther was silent, wondering if the thought in her mind had also
occurred to Roger, namely that Holliday had at last given up hope that
Sir Charles would die. She wondered, too, how the news would affect
Lady Clifford. Perhaps, indeed, the latter had known days ago of his
departure, in which case her violent emotional burst, as well as her
illness, became more comprehensible.

They made a big circuit, and an hour and a half later turned homeward,
approaching the house from a different direction. While still a little
distance away they caught sight of a small Aberdeen terrier in the act
of disappearing around the corner of a leafy avenue. The dog, red
collar and all, had a familiar appearance.

"Can that be--why, yes, it is Tony!" cried Esther, recognising Lady
Clifford's pet. "He must have slipped out. Here, Tony, Tony!"

The Aberdeen turned and bent upon her an inquiring eye, smiled coyly,
dog fashion, wagged his brief tail, then, instead of coming closer,
wheeled about and dashed off down the avenue.

"That's not like him," Roger said. "He's always such an obedient dog.
Tony, here, Tony!"

Tony, however, had a mind of his own. Paying no heed to Roger's
whistle, he ran without stopping until he joined, far in the distance,
two figures who were walking slowly in the opposite direction.

"He's evidently with someone," Roger remarked. "A man and a woman.
Can your long-sighted eyes see who they are?"

In the growing dusk it was not easy to tell, but there was something
familiar in the big, heavy frame of the man.

"It looks like the doctor," Esther said, hesitating. "And I believe
the woman is Lady Clifford."

As she spoke the pair separated, the woman went on, the dog following,
and the man turned and came back along the avenue. It was the doctor,
there was no doubt about it now.

"I have scarcely ever seen Therese out walking be