es to
do so, I should not try to dissuade him; it would be very hard to know
that he is in danger, but no harder for me than for others."

"That is right, my dear," the Doctor said affectionately; "I should not
wish my little girl--and now the Major has gone I feel that you are my
little girl--to think otherwise. I think," he went on, smiling, "that
the first part of that plan we spoke of will not be as difficult as
I fancied it would be; the sting has gone, and he will get rid of his
morbid fancies."

"When shall I be able to see him?"

"Well, if I had any authority over him you would not see him for a week;
as I have not, I think it likely enough that you will see him tomorrow."

"I would rather wait if it would do him any harm, Doctor."

"I don't think it will do him any harm. Beyond the fact that he will
have to carry his arm in a sling for the next fortnight, I don't think
he will have any trouble with it."

CHAPTER XXIII.

The next morning Bathurst found Isobel Hannay sitting in a shady court
that had been converted into a sort of general room for the ladies in
the fort.

"How are you, Miss Hannay? I am glad to see you down."

"I might repeat your words, Mr. Bathurst, for you see we have changed
places. You are the invalid, and not I."

"There is very little of the invalid about me," he said. "I am glad to
see that your face is much better than it was."

"Yes, it is healing fast. I am a dreadful figure still; and the Doctor
says that there will be red scars for months, and that probably my face
will be always marked."

"The Doctor is a croaker, Miss Hannay; there is no occasion to trust
him too implicitly. I predict that there will not be any serious scars
left."

He took a seat beside her. There were two or three others in the court,
but these were upon the other side, quite out of hearing.

"I congratulate you, Mr. Bathurst," she said quietly, "on yesterday. The
Doctor has, of course, told me all about it. It can make no difference
to us who knew you, but I am heartily glad for your sake. I can
understand how great a difference it must make to you."

"It has made all the difference in the world," he replied. "No one can
tell the load it has lifted from my mind. I only wish it had taken place
earlier."

"I know what you mean, Mr. Bathurst; the Doctor has told me about that
too. You may wish that you had remained in the boat, but it was well for
me that you did not. You would have lost y