waiting, the physician spoke very kindly.

"I'm not going to express any opinion, because it would be valueless.
It's clear that there's something wrong, but I've seen so many
recoveries."

"Which you have brought about," smiled Valerie.

"I can never do more than contribute. I can only advise. It is the
executive that works the cure. That's why I'm so hopeful about Major
Lyveden."

"The executive?"

"Such as the devotion of relatives."

"He has no relatives."

"Or, better still," said the doctor, "the love of a great-hearted
lady." The muffled bell of a telephone interrupted. "Excuse me." He
picked up the receiver. "Is that you, Heron? ... Can you see a friend
of mine this afternoon? ... At four-thirty?" Sir Willoughby looked at
Valerie with raised eyebrows. She nodded quickly. "Yes. That'll do
... Miss French. Miss Valerie French ... A case in the country ...
Urgent ... She wants your report. I won't say any more. She'll tell
you better than I. Ring me up, if you like, before you go. Good-bye."
He pushed the instrument away and turned to Valerie. "I'll have
another word with him when you've told him your tale."

"Thank you so very much."

Having laid three guineas upon the table under the decent cover of a
photograph frame, Valerie rose to her feet. Sir Willoughby rose also
and passed to the door. As he held it open, he put out his hand.

Valerie took it and held it.

"Nobody could have been kinder," she said.

The physician smiled.

"Try not to worry," he said. "I haven't seen Gramarye, but I don't
think she'll stay the course. Not if you set the pace...."

* * * * *

It was the following Sunday morning that, after considerable
hesitation, Lyveden issued an order which he could well have spared.
The instruction was addressed to the younger of his two carters, and
was touching the man and the dog-cart and a seven-mile drive. In a
word, it had become expedient that Major Anthony Lyveden should go up
to Town.

His employer had warned him that periodical visits to London would be
found indispensable. For all his dislike of the world, Winchester had
had to pay them from time to time. Now that the latter was gone from
Gramarye, and Anthony reigned in his stead, the duty, when it arose,
fell to his lot. Never relishing the idea, he would not have believed
that it could become so odious. Ere it had taken shape, it loomed
vexatious. Looking it in