at had passed about the
jelly that morning at breakfast, she could no longer doubt, and bitterly
reproached herself for not having kept up a stricter surveillance. Of
her suspicion she however said nothing, but sealing her note, she went
down to the drawing-room, told Mr. Langford that she did not think Fred
quite so well that evening, and asked him if he did not think it might
be better to let Philip Carey know. He agreed instantly, and rang the
bell to order a servant to ride to Allonfield; but Mrs. Langford, who
could not bear any one but Geoffrey to act without consulting her,
pitied man and horse for being out so late, and opined that Beatrice
forgot that she was not in London, where the medical man could be called
in so easily.

It was fortunate that it was the elder Beatrice instead of the younger,
for provoked as she already had been before with the old lady, it was
not easy even for her to make a cheerful answer. "Well, it is very kind
in you to attend to my London fancies," said she; "I think if we can do
anything to spare him such a night as the last, it should be tried."

"Certainly, certainly," said Mr. Langford. "It is very disappointing
when he was going on so well. He must surely have been doing something
imprudent."

It was very tempting to interrogate Mrs. Langford, but her
daughter-in-law had long since come to a resolution never to convey to
her anything like reproach, let her do what she might in her mistaken
kindness of heart, or her respectable prejudices; so, without
entering on what many in her place might have made a scene of polite
recrimination, she left the room, and on her way up, heard Frederick's
door gently opened. Stephens came quickly and softly to the end of
the passage to meet her. "He is asking for you, ma'am," said he; "I am
afraid he is not so well; I did not like to ring, for fear of alarming
my mistress, but--"

Mrs. Geoffrey Langford entered the room, and found that the bustle and
exertion of being carried to his bed had brought on excessive confusion
and violent pain. He put his hand to his forehead, opened his eyes, and
looked wildly about. "Oh, Aunt Geoffrey," he exclaimed, "what shall I
do? It is as bad--worse than ever!"

"You have been doing something imprudent, I fear," said Aunt Geoffrey,
determined to come to the truth at once.

"Only that glass of jelly--if I had guessed!"

"Only one?"

"One to-day, one yesterday. It was grandmamma's doing. Don't let her
kn