ct, the medium was killed in a railway accident."

They walked on, and fell to talking of indifferent things. But though
Sir Lyon had at one time held many such conversations with sceptical or
interested persons, this particular conversation will never be forgotten
by him, owing to a strange occurrence which happened in the afternoon of
that same day. But for two fortunate facts--the bravery of young
Donnington, and the presence of a clever medical man--the pleasant
comedy in which they were each and all playing an attractive part would
have been transformed into a peculiarly painful tragedy.

CHAPTER XVI

While three members of the party had thus been walking and talking, the
principal subject of their discussion, Bubbles Dunster, had gone through
an exciting and unpleasant experience.

When starting out for a solitary walk to give Span a run, she saw, with
annoyance, James Tapster following her, and to her acute discomfiture he
managed to stammer out what was tantamount to an offer of marriage.
Though, in a sense, she had certainly tried to attract him, she felt,
all at once, miserably ashamed of her success. So much so, indeed, that
she pretended at first not to understand what he meant. But at last she
had to leave such pretence aside, and then it was she who surprised Mr.
Tapster, for, "You must let me have time to think over the great honour
you have done me," she said quietly. "If you want an answer now, it must
be _no_."

He protested sulkily that of course he would give her as much time as
she wanted, and then she observed, slyly, "I am sure that you yourself
did not make up your mind to be married all in a minute, Mr. Tapster.
You weighed the pros and cons very carefully, no doubt. So you must give
me time to do so too."

Bubbles' measured words, the feeling that she was, so to speak, keeping
him at arm's length, took the hapless Tapster aback, and frightened him
a little. He had felt so sure that once he had made up his own mind she
would eagerly say "Yes!" Often, during the last few days, he had told
himself, with a kind of mirthless chuckle, that _he_ was not going to be
"caught"; but when, at last, he had made up his mind that Bubbles would
make him, if not an ideal, then a very suitable, wife, it seemed strange
indeed that she was not eager to "nail him." That she was not exactly
eager to do so was apparent, even to him.

Calling Span sharply to her, the girl turned round, and began making