takes? oh! plenty,' said Primrose. 'I do; and I suppose
Duke does. I don't know about papa. Now, dear Hazel, sit down.
Duke will be here directly.'

And Primrose cut bread and poured out coffee and supplied her
guest, in a sort of passion of hospitality.

To say that the guest was as hungry as she should have been
after such a fast, would be perhaps too much; last night was
still too fresh for that; but seventeen has great restorative
powers at command, and Prim's coffee was undeniably good.
Hazel grew more like herself as the meal went on, though her
eyes kept their tired look, and her manner was a trifle
abstracted. But Prim asked no questions; only hovered about
her with all sorts of affectionate words and ways, till Rollo
came in. He sat down and began to make himself generally
useful, in his wonted manner.

'Duke,' said Primrose, 'Miss Kennedy has been asking me if we
ever make mistakes in this house!'

'What did you tell her?'

'Why you know what I told her. I am not sure about papa; but
the rest of us don't boast of infallible wisdom.'

'Do you mean that he does?' said Duke, drily. At which
Primrose laughed. 'Have you been asleep, Miss Hazel?'

'Beyond reach of all earthly things. Have you?'

Rollo remarked that he never got so far as that.

'No,' said Primrose, 'I never saw such a sleeper. He'll be
sound asleep, sound and fast; not dreaming nor stirring; and
if there comes the least little sound that there _oughtn't_ to
be, he's up and broad awake and in possession of all his
senses in a minute.'

'How do you know?' said the subject of this description.

'I know,' said Primrose. 'Thunder wouldn't waken him; and the
turning of a key in a lock would--suppose it was a time or
place when the lock ought not to be turned.'

'Very interesting details!' said Rollo. 'They may be useful in
the study of psychology--or physiology. Which is your favourite
study, Miss Hazel?'

'Whichever will throw the most light upon this; Prim, can he
also detect "the least little sound that oughtn't to be,' when
there is none at all?' said Hazel thinking of last night.

'No, he can't,' said Rollo, shaking his head. 'That's a
physiological question. But here is one in psychology: Can a
person be sensible of an unknown _presence_ when yet there is
none?'

'Ah!' she said, drawing a long breath and growing grave all at
once, 'I wish one might! It would have been a comfort.'

'Well,' said he, 'I think I can resolve that