journey. Were Stanbury to start
by the morning train on the following day, he could not reach Siena
till the afternoon of the fourth day; and let the result be what
it might when he arrived there, it would be out of the question
that Emily Trevelyan should come back quite at once, or that she
should travel at the same speed. Of course they might hear again by
telegram, and also by letter; but they could not see her, or have any
hand in her plans. "If anything were to happen, she might have come
with us," said Lady Rowley.

"It is out of the question," said Sir Marmaduke gloomily. "I could
not give up the places I have taken."

"A few days more would have done it."

"I don't suppose she would wish to go," said Nora. "Of course she
would not take Louey there. Why should she? And then I don't suppose
he is so ill as that."

"There is no saying," said Sir Marmaduke. It was very evident
that, whatever might be Sir Marmaduke's opinion, he had no
strongly-developed wish for his son-in-law's recovery.

They all sat up waiting for Hugh Stanbury till eleven, twelve, one,
and two o'clock at night. The "boots" had returned, saying that Mr.
Stanbury had not been at the office of the newspaper, but that,
according to information received, he certainly would be there that
night. No other address had been given to the man, and the note had
therefore of necessity been left at the office. Sir Marmaduke became
very fretful, and was evidently desirous of being liberated from his
night watch. But he could not go himself, and shewed his impatience
by endeavouring to send the others away. Lady Rowley replied for
herself that she should certainly remain in her corner on the sofa
all night, if it were necessary; and as she slept very soundly in her
corner, her comfort was not much impaired. Nora was pertinacious in
refusing to go to bed. "I should only go to my own room, papa, and
remain there," she said. "Of course I must speak to him before he
goes." Sophie and Lucy considered that they had as much right to sit
up as Nora, and submitted to be called geese and idiots by their
father.

Sir Marmaduke had arisen with a snort from a short slumber, and
had just sworn that he and everybody else should go to bed, when
there came a ring at the front-door bell. The trusty boots had also
remained up, and in two minutes Hugh Stanbury was in the room. He
had to make his excuses before anything else could be said. When he
reached the D. R. office