to me, Ron," she suggested. "We understand
each other, and I can explain to him. You would find it difficult, and
it would be painful for you both. Just tell him that I'm not feeling
very well, and he'll come straight to me. Don't tell him I want to see
him. Give me your arm to my den, dear."

I led her to her "den," a little room opening on to the verandah.
There was a writing-table in the window covered with correspondence
in neat little piles, for Myra was on all the charity committees in
the county, and the rest of the room was given up to a profusion of
fishing tackle, shooting gear, and books. Sholto followed us, every
now and then rubbing his great head against her skirt. I left her
there, and turned into the hall, where I met the General. He had
heard us return.

"You're back early, my boy," he remarked.

"Yes," I said, taking out my cigarette-case to give myself an air of
assurance which was utterly unknown to me. "Myra is not feeling very
well. She's resting for a bit."

"Not well?" he exclaimed, in surprise. "Very unusual, very unusual
indeed." And he turned straight into Myra's room without waiting for
an answer to his quiet tap on the door. With a heavy heart I went
upstairs to the old schoolroom, now given over to Mary McNiven, Myra's
old nurse.

"Master Ronald! I _am_ glad," she cried, when I accepted her
invitation to "come in." Mary had boxed my ears many times in my
boyhood, and the fact that we were old friends made it difficult for
me to tell her my terrible news. I broke it as gently as I could, and
warned her not to alarm the servants, and very soon she wiped away her
tears and went downstairs to see what she could do. I went out into
the fresh air for a moment to pull myself together, marvelling at the
unreasoning cruelty of fate. I turned into the hall, and met the
General coming out of Myra's room. He was talking to Mary and one of
the housemaids.

"These things often occur," he was explaining in a very matter-of-fact
voice. "They are unusual, though not unheard-of, and very distressing
at the time. But I am confident that Miss Myra will be quite herself
again in a day or two. Meanwhile, she had better go to bed and rest,
and take care of herself while Angus fetches Doctor Whitehouse. No
doubt he will give her some lotion to wash her eyes with, and it will
be only a day or two before we see Miss Myra about again as usual. You
must see that she has no light near her, and that she rests h