's
infirmity, and told her certain sure I'd be back at four o'clock, and
when I arrive at the week's end, she'll groan because I'm ten minutes
late!"

"A week! Now that we've got you, we won't let you go in a week. You
must take a good rest while you're about it. We have no excitements on
hand except the Barfield Garden Party, but you shall be out in the fresh
air, and feed on strawberries and cream, and sleep half the day. We
must send her back with a little more colour in her cheeks, mustn't we,
Katrine?"

Katrine looked at her visitor, and smiled. She had not wanted to invite
Grizel; the proposition had found her in an antagonistic mood, she had
resented the fact that it had come from Martin rather than herself, but
now Grizel had arrived, and with the personal presence, antagonism had
vanished into space. Her thoughts turned back to yesterday, when at the
same hour in the same room she and Martin had partaken of tea together.
Certainly no one could have called it a lively meal. There were
occasions when the coming of a third person infused a wonderful
refreshment into the daily routine, but Katrine knew her guest's nature
better than did her brother. Martin desired that they should take care
of Grizel; in reality it was Grizel who would take care of them. Martin
had declared that Grizel must rest; Grizel was incapable of rest, and
rest would weary her more than action. Where Grizel was, things
happened. Even as she sat pale and weary upon the sofa, vitality flowed
out of her; the atmosphere was instinct with electric force.

"Grizel," said Katrine smiling, "will do as she pleases. She always
did, and she always will, and she will please to gad! She will gad from
morning till night, and drag me about to gad with her. It's very easy
for you, Martin; you issue instructions, shut yourself up in your study
all day, and expect them to be carried out, but I tell you at the
beginning,--I wash my hands of responsibility! I'll go where I'm--
dragged, and do as I--must! She'll be tired out, of course, but it
won't be my fault."

"But I haven't the least intention of letting him shut himself up.
'Course I'll gad! What else is there to do, but don't you worry, my
lamb, Martin shall gad with me!" announced Grizel calmly. She flashed
her honey-coloured eyes across the room to where Martin sat among the
shadows of the dark old room. His back was towards the light, she could
see the outline of his long lean f