for what he feared was abuse of his
mistress's trust, and the grower's desire that the treasured token
should be resolved into, what it was, a wonderful bulb, a triumph of
the horticulturist. Julia smiled a little sadly as she read; not that
she regretted the existence of the grower with the lover; she was glad
to see it and to know that it was triumphing. But the whole affair
seemed so far off, so unimportant, so almost childish. She did not
care who knew he had the daffodil, or whether it bloomed or rotted. In
these days, when her self-apportioned burden was beginning to press
heavily upon her shoulders, such things did not seem to matter. She
had a sense almost of disloyalty in feeling how little it mattered to
her when it appeared to be so much to this loyal friend.

Captain Polkington had of late had several sudden attacks of a
faintness which more often than not amounted to unconsciousness.
"Heart," the doctor had said when he was summoned after the first one;
he had not regarded them as very dangerous, that is to say not likely
to prove fatal at any moment if properly treated at the time. He had
given instructions as to suitable treatment, emphasising the fact
that the patient ought never to be long out of ear-shot of some one,
as the attacks required immediate remedy. He forbade excitement and
much exertion, orders easy to fulfil in this case, and also stimulants
of all sorts, an order not quite so easy. Captain Polkington was much
displeased about this last; he said it plainly showed the doctor a
fool who did not know his business; stimulant, as every one knew,
being the first necessity for a weak heart. Julia pointed out that
that must vary with the constitution, nature and disease; she also
recalled the fact that alcohol never had suited her father. He was
naturally not convinced by her logic, and so was decidedly sulky; even
in time, by dint of dwelling upon the subject, came to regard the
treatment as a conspiracy to annoy him. Julia regretted this but did
not think it mattered very much, seeing that she had the keys; but
then she did not know of that purchase made in the town. The Captain,
rebelling against the doctor's order, hugged himself as he thought of
it and of the comparatively sparing use he had made of it so far--for
fear of being found out. There was no need of him to die by inches
while he had that store of life and comfort; so he told himself, and
secretly made use of it, with anything but go