the breath, "you should have called me."

"He'd have been asleep before your ladyship could have come. Sleep's
the best of all medicine."

She had her breakfast and relieved Reilly. Somewhere about ten o'clock
Terry opened the door and peeped in.

"Come!" she beckoned to him.

He came and stood beside her looking down at the bandaged head and pale
unconscious face. The deadly pallor of yesterday had passed. A slight
colour had come to the cheeks, driving away the blue shadows.

Tears filled the boy's eyes as he looked, and his mother loved him for
the sensibility.

She went out with him into the corridor to speak. There was so much
she had to tell him that could not be told in a moment or two.

"I shall be off duty by three o'clock," she said. "Can you wait till
then?"

"I suppose I couldn't ... they wouldn't want me at Inch? I have
written to Stella and she has not answered."

"She has not been very well. I will tell you about it. Only be
patient, dear boy. I must not stay away from your father too long."

"Very well," he said resignedly. "I'll take out Shot and we'll pot at
rabbits--a long way from the house, darling. It's good to be here,
anyhow."

"It's good to have you," she said gratefully.

He had not taken up what she said about Stella's not being well, and
she was glad of that. Stella had not been at her best when he left.
She might have alarmed him and set him to asking questions which she
would have found it difficult to parry.

Twice during the morning hours, while she sat in the clean well-ordered
room, with its bright fire and its sudden transformation to a
sick-room, she was called to the door. Once it was to interview Patsy
Kenny. He had brought word that Susan had spoken to him from the
window of Waterfall Cottage and had said that Miss Stella was no worse.
Patsy was to watch by Sir Shawn for the afternoon and evening: so much
had been conceded to him.

She was expecting the doctor when another summons came--this time it
was Sir Felix Conyers, who came tip-toeing along the corridor since she
could not go downstairs to him.

"I'm terribly sorry for this dreadful accident, Lady O'Gara," he said.
She noticed with a wondering gratitude that Sir Felix was quite pale.
"I've only just heard it. The whole countryside will be shocked. Such
a popular man as Sir Shawn, such a good landlord and fine specimen of a
country gentleman. Upon my word, I'm sorry."

She saw that he w