ened by young Dr. Vivian. He had seen her
coming, through the window.

"Oh!--good-morning, Miss Heth!" said he, in a manner indicating the
experiment of pleased surprise, tempered with a certain
embarrassment.... "What a glorious day outdoors, isn't it?--almost
spring.... Won't you come in?"

Miss Heth replied, as she would have replied to the housemaid (who,
indeed, could herself be spied just then, pausing, down the dimness of
the hall):

"Good-morning. No, I stopped to ask how Mr. Beirne is to-day. We hope
there is better news?"

The young man stepped at once out into the vestibule.

"Oh! That's kind of you," said he, his pleasure gaining strength. "I'm
happy to say that there _is_,--the best news. He's going to get well."

"I'm so glad to hear it," replied Miss Heth....

If, in despite of herself, there was a trace of stiff self-consciousness
in her voice and air, how was she to be blamed for that? There is a
breaking-point for even the most "finished" manner, and the sight of
this man to-day was like a rough hand on a new wound. A great wave of
helplessness had broken over her, as the opening door revealed his face:
how could you possibly avoid the unavoidable, how destroy the
indestructible? And it seemed that, since yesterday, he had robbed her
of her one reliable weapon....

The tall young man pushed back his light hair. He was smiling. The mild
winter sun streamed down upon him, and his face looked worn, as if he
wanted sleep.

"We had a consultation this morning--three doctors," he went on, in the
friendliest way. "They're sure they've found out where the trouble is. A
little operation, of no difficulty at all--I've done it myself, once in
the hospital!--and he'll be walking the street in a fortnight."

"That is good news, indeed. We have been so--sorry about his illness."

"Thank you--it's a tremendous relief to me, of course. He seemed so very
ill last night...."

Standing under his eye in the tiled vestibule, Carlisle produced, from
her swinging gold case, not her card, but those of Mr. and Mrs. B.
Thornton Heth, and extended them in a gloved hand.

"May I leave these?" she said, with the reemergence of "manner." "My
mother and father will be delighted to learn that Mr. Beirne is soon to
be well again."

"That's very kind. I know my uncle would be--_will_ be--much gratified
by your interest and sympathy."

Who shall know the heart of a woman? The thing was done, the inquiry
over. The mos