to know. She sha'n't be unhappy if _I_ can help
it."

"You!" said the doctor, shrugging his shoulders rather rudely. "I
don't see what _you_ can do."

Sarah reddened with lofty indignation. "It would be very odd if you
did," she said spitefully; "you're only a man, when all is said and
done. But if you'll only promise not to interfere, I'll manage it
beautifully all by myself."

"What will you do?" said the doctor, inattentively; and his blindness
to Sarah's charms and her powers made her almost pity such obtuseness.

"I will go and fetch Lady Mary, for one thing, and cheer her up."

"Not a word to her!" he cried, starting up; "remember, I told you in
confidence--though why I was such a fool--"

"Am I likely to forget?" said Sarah; "and you will see one day whether
you were a fool to tell _me_." She said to herself, despairingly, that
the stupidity of mankind was almost past praying for. As the doctor
opened the door for Sarah, Lady Mary herself walked into the room.

She had removed all traces of tears from her face, and, though she was
still very pale, she was quite composed, and ready to smile at them
both.

"Were you coming to fetch me?" she said, taking Sarah's arm
affectionately. "Dr. Blundell, I am afraid luncheon will be terribly
late. The servants have all gone off their heads in the confusion, as
was to be expected. The noise and the welcome upset me so that I dared
not go out on the terrace again. Ash has just been to tell me it's
all over, and that Peter made a capital speech; quite as good as Mr.
John's, he said; but that is hardly a compliment to our K.C.," she
laughed. "I'm afraid Ash is prejudiced."

"Ash was doing the honours with all his might," said the doctor,
gruffly; "handing round cider by the hogshead. Hallo! the speeches
must be really all over," he said, for, above vociferous cheering, the
strains of the National Anthem could just be discerned.

Peter came striding across the terrace, and looked in at the open
window.

"Are you better again, mother?" he called. "Could you come out now?
They've done at last, but they're calling for you."

"Yes, yes; I'm quite ready. I won't be so silly again," said Lady
Mary.

But Peter did not listen. "Why--" he said, and stopped short.

"Surely you haven't forgotten Sarah," said Lady Mary, laughing--"your
little playmate Sarah? But perhaps I ought to say Miss Hewel now."

"How do you do, Sir Peter?" said Sarah, in a very stately manner. "I