her 'promise' was
quite exceptional.

Tremulous from these lines of print, she turned to the letters, and
here was full-fed with flattery. 'Your most brilliant debut'--'How
shall we thank you for such an artistic treat?'--'Oh, your divine
rendering of,' &c.--'You have taken your place, at once and _sans
phrase_, in the very front rank of violinists.' She smiled once more,
and lost a little of her cadaverous hue. Felix Dymes, scribbling late,
repeated things that he had heard since the afternoon. He added: 'I'm
afraid you'll be awfully upset about your friends the Carnabys. It's
very unfortunate this should have happened just now. But cheer up, and
let me see you as soon as possible. Great things to come!'

She went down to breakfast with shaking limbs, scarce able to hold up
her head as she sat through the meal. Harvey ran his eye over the
papers, but said nothing, and kept looking anxiously at her. She could
not touch food; on rising from table she felt a giddiness which obliged
her to hold the chair for support. At her husband's beckoning she
followed him into the library.

'Hadn't you better go back to bed?'

'I shall lie down a little. But perhaps if I could get out----'

'No, that you won't. And if you feel no better by afternoon I shall
send for the doctor.'

'You see what the papers say----?'

'Yes.'

'Wouldn't it be graceful to own that you are surprised?'

'We'll talk about that when you look less like a corpse. Would you like
me to send any message to Mrs. Carnaby?'

Alma shook her head.

'I'll write--today or tomorrow--there's no hurry----'

'No hurry?' said Rolfe, surprised by something in her tone. 'What do
you mean by that?'

'Are you going to see Mr. Carnaby?' was her answer.

'I don't know where to find him, unless I go to the inquest.'

'I had rather you stayed here today,' said Alma; 'I feel far from well.'

'Yes, I shall stay. But I ought to let him hear from me. Best, perhaps,
if I send a telegram to his place.'

The morning passed miserably enough. Alma went to her bedroom and lay
there for an hour or two, then she strayed to the nursery and sat a
while with Hugh and his governess. At luncheon she had no more appetite
than at breakfast, though for very faintness her body could scarce
support itself. After the meal Harvey went out to procure the earliest
evening papers, and on his way he called at the doctor's house. Not
till about five o'clock was a report of the Wimbledon inqu