mfortably and without conviction. The kisses she
actually received embarrassed her. She even blushed a little and was
annoyed with herself for blushing.

"There doesn't seem to be much the matter with your nerve," she said.

Bertram became suddenly grave.

"My nerves are in a rotten state," he said. "The doctor--specialist, you
know, tip-top man--said the only thing for me was life in the country,
fresh air, birds, flowers, new milk, all that sort of thing."

"Your father wrote all that to me," said Mrs. MacDermott.

"Poor old dad," said Bertram, "he's horribly upset about it."

Mrs. MacDermott was further puzzled about her nephew's nervous breakdown
when she suggested about 7 o'clock that it was time to dress for dinner.
Bertram who had been talking cheerfully and smoking a good deal, put his
arm round her waist and ran her upstairs.

"Jolly thing to have an aunt like you," he said.

Mrs. MacDermott was slightly out of breath and angry with herself for
blushing again. At bedtime she refused a good-night kiss with some
dignity. Bertram protested.

"Oh, I say, Aunt Nell, that's all rot, you know. An aunt is just one of
the people you do kiss, night and morning."

"No, you don't," she said, "and anyway you won't get the chance
to-morrow morning. I shall be off early. It's a hunting day."

"Can't I get a horse somewhere?" said Bertram.

Mrs. MacDermott looked at him in astonishment.

"Your father told me," she said, "that you couldn't ride and had never
been on a horse in your life."

"Did he say that? The poor dad! I suppose he was afraid I'd break my
neck."

"If you're suffering from nervous breakdown----"

"I am. Frightfully. That's why they sent me here."

"Then you shouldn't hunt," said Mrs. MacDermott. "You should sit quietly
in the library and write poetry. That reminds me, the rector is coming
to dinner to-night. I thought you'd like to meet him."

"Why? Is he a sporting old bird?"

"Not in the least; but he's the only man about this country who knows
anything about poetry. That's why I asked him."

Johnny Gafferty made a report to Mrs. MacDermott when she returned from
hunting which surprised her a good deal.

"The young gentleman, ma'am," he said, "was round in the stable this
morning, shortly after you leaving. And nothing would do him only for me
to saddle the bay for him."

"Did you do it?"

"What else could I do," said Gafferty, "when his heart was set on it?"

"I suppose he's br