us--couldn't leave you behind."

"I'm glad you didn't," said Derrick. "I shall be all right presently. I
feel better already. And you have been nursing me?" he asked.

A blush rose to the clear olive of her face, and she smiled, a heavenly
smile, for this was a very beautiful woman, and when a beautiful woman
smiles the gods nod approval.

"You see, I was used to it. I was a nurse once; but I couldn't stick
it--too quiet. Alice has been helping me," she added, as if forced to
make the admission.

"I say, you have been awfully good to me," said Derrick, gratefully.

"Oh, that's all right," she said. "I--I like it. Like old times, you
know. I must go and tell Mr. Bloxford; he's been like a sick monkey
fretting over its young."

She stood beside the bed, her eyes downcast, her face pale now, but an
expression on her proud and haughty lips which would have befitted a
schoolgirl.

"Let me give you some broth. The doctor said you might have it, if you
came to."

She brought him a cup, but to Derrick's disgust he could not grasp it,
and she held it to his lips while he drank.

"You're an angel," he said; "yes, an angel. You look pale; you've been
nursing me all this time. How long is it?"

"Four days," she said, in a low voice. They had been the happiest four
days of her life.

"Good lord!" he muttered. "Four days! Oh, here, I say, I wish I could
thank you properly, but I can't."

"There's no need," she said, in a low voice. "I'll go and tell the
doctor and Mr. Bloxford."

She smoothed the clothes about him, her eyes still downcast, but as she
went to the door she turned and looked at him. Derrick met the gaze of
the dark eyes full blank, and as he did so the colour rose to his face,
and it was his turn for his eyes to become downcast.

He had learned her secret, and his heart was heavy within him, for,
though they were unlike, the eyes of that other girl, who was always in
his thoughts, flitted between him and Isabel.

CHAPTER XIII

Celia hurried back from Lady Gridborough's, ran up the great stone steps
and entered the hall. Catching sight of Mrs. Dexter coming from the
dining-room, Celia began,

"Oh, Mrs. Dexter, I've had quite an adventure----" But she stopped as
she saw that the hitherto placid housekeeper was evidently in a state of
agitation, and, instead of continuing, Celia broke off with: "Oh, is
anything the matter, Mrs. Dexter?"

"Matter! I should think so," responded Mrs. Dexter, t