in his way, 'I thought
you were at Nauheim. What is wrong? Is your mother ill? Is she coming
back? Are you in trouble?'

Gabriel could not answer all, or even one of these questions on the
instant, for the sudden appearance and speech of the Beorminster
busybody had taken him by surprise. He looked haggard and white, and
there were dark circles under his eyes, as though he suffered from want
of sleep. Still, the journey from Nauheim might account for his weary
looks, and would have done so to anyone less suspicious than Mrs Pansey;
but that good lady scented a mystery, and wanted an explanation. This,
Gabriel, with less than his usual courtesy, declined to furnish.
However, to give her some food for her mind, he answered her questions
categorically.

'I have just returned from Nauheim, Mrs Pansey,' he said hurriedly.
'There is nothing wrong, so far as I am aware. My mother is much better,
and is benefiting greatly by the baths. She is coming back within the
month, and I am not in trouble. Is there anything else you wish to
know?'

'Yes, Mr Pendle, there is,' said Mrs Pansey, in no wise abashed. 'Why do
you look so ill?'

'I am not ill, but I have had a long sea-passage, a weary railway
journey, and I feel hot, and dirty, and worn out. Naturally, under the
circumstances, I don't look the picture of health.'

'Humph! trips abroad don't do _you_ much good.'

Gabriel bowed, and turned away to direct the porter to place his
portmanteau in a fly. Offended by his silence, Mrs Pansey shook out her
skirts and tossed her sable plumes. 'You have not brought back French
politeness, young man,' said Mrs Pansey, acridly.

'I have been in Germany,' retorted Gabriel, as though that fact
accounted for his lack of courtesy. 'Good-bye for the present, Mrs
Pansey; I'll apologise for my shortcomings when I recover from my
journey.'

'Oh, you will, will you?' growled the archdeacon's widow, as Gabriel
lifted his hat and drove off; 'you'll do more than apologise, young man,
you'll explain. Hoity-toity! here's brazen assurance,' and Mrs Pansey,
with her Roman beak in the air, marched off, wondering in her own
curious mind what could be the reason of Gabriel's sudden return.

Her curiosity would have been gratified had she been present in Dr
Graham's consulting-room an hour later; for after Gabriel had bathed and
brushed up at his lodgings, he paid an immediate visit to the little
doctor. Graham happened to be at home, as he had not