r. Byrne left the room, and Geoff went off to school.

He was in a strange state of mind. He hardly took in what he had been
told of the state of his mother's money matters. He hardly indeed
believed it, so possessed was he by the idea that there was a sort of
plot to get rid of him.

"It isn't mother herself," he reflected. "It's all Elsa and Frances, and
that horrid old Hoot-Toot. But as for going to any school _he'd_ send me
to--no, thank you."

He was standing about at noon with some of his companions, when the
coloured servant appeared.

"Please, sir," he said, "I was to tell you that the lady is
better--doctor say so;" and with a kind of salaam he waited to see what
the young gentleman would reply.

"All right," said Geoff, curtly; and the man turned to go.

Geoff did not see that at the gates he stood still a moment speaking to
another man, who appeared to have been waiting for him.

"That young gentleman with the dark hair. You see plain when I speak to
him," he said in his rather broken English.

The other man nodded his head.

"I shall know him again, no fear. Tell your master it's all right," he
said.

Geoff had to stand some chaff from his friends on the subject of the
"darkey," of course. At another time he would rather have enjoyed it
than otherwise; but to-day he was unable to take part in any fun.

"What a surly humour Tudor's in!" said one of the boys to another.

Geoff overheard it, and glared at him.

"I shan't be missed here either, it seems," he said to himself.

He did not notice that evening, when he went home, that a respectable
unobtrusive-looking man, with the air of a servant out of livery, or
something of that kind, followed him all the way, only turning back when
he had seen the boy safe within his own door. And there, just within,
faithful Vicky was awaiting him.

"I've been watching for you such a time, Geoff dear," she said. "Mamma's
better. _Aren't_ you glad? The doctor's been again, just about an hour
ago, and he told me so as he went out."

"Have you seen her?" said Geoff, abruptly.

Vicky hesitated. She knew her answer would vex Geoff, and yet she could
not say what was not true.

[Illustration: HE STOOD STILL A MOMENT SPEAKING TO ANOTHER MAN.]

"I've only _just_ seen her," she said. "Elsa just took me in for a
moment. She has to be kept very, very quiet, Geoff. She'll have to be
very quiet for a long time."

"You may as well speak plainly," said her brother.