modesty, and who finds herself suddenly assailed as a
champion of the immoral. Her middle-aged countenance flushed with
annoyance and shame.

"No, I don't suppose you are lax," said Theo: but the lines in his
careworn forehead did not melt, and Chatty, who had been directing the
maid about the luggage, now came forward and stopped the conversation.
Warrender put his mother and sister into a cab, and promised to "come
round" and see them in the evening. After he had shut the door, he came
back and asked suddenly: "By the way, I suppose you have the last news
of Cavendish. How is he?"

"We have no news. Why do you ask? is he ill?"

"Oh, you don't know then?" said Warrender. "I was wondering. He is down
with fever, but getting better, I believe, getting better," he added
hurriedly, as Chatty uttered a tremulous cry. "They wrote to his people.
We were wondering whether you might not have heard."

"And no one thought it worth while to let us know!"

"Lady Horton thought if you did not know it was better to say nothing:
and that if you did it was unnecessary--besides, they are like me,
they think it is monstrous that a man should go off with an avowed
intention--they think in any case it is better to drop it altogether."

"Theo," said Chatty, in her soft voice, "can we hear exactly how he is?"

"He is better, he is going on well, he will get all right. But if you
should see Lady Horton----"

Lady Horton was Dick's elder and married sister, she who had stood by
him on the day that was to have been his wedding-day.

"I think we had better drive on now," Chatty said. And when Theo's
somewhat astonished face had disappeared from the window, and they were
rattling along over the stones, she suddenly said, "Do you think it should
have been--dropped altogether? Why should it be dropped altogether? I
seem to be a little bewildered--I don't --understand. Oh, mamma, I had
a presentiment that he was ill--ill and alone, and so far away."

"He is getting better, dear; he would think it best not to write to make
us anxious; probably he has been waiting on day by day. I will go to
Lady Horton to-morrow."

"And Lady Horton thinks it should be dropped altogether," said Chatty,
in a musing reflective tone. "She thinks it is monstrous--what is
monstrous? I don't--seem to understand."

"Let us not think of it till we get home, till we have a little calm
and--time."

"As if one could stop thinking till there is time!" said Chatty,