e, superb, arrogant, beautiful Louise, was
really ill, desperately ill. A feeling of remorse mingled with his sense
of shock. He had believed her a sort of nervous hypochondriac. He had so
resented her excessive demands on Barbara that it was only since he had
seen much of her in this last month that he had been able
whole-heartedly to like and admire her.

As he stood silent, he became conscious of another presence--an august,
impressive one, familiar in the past but veiled now, as it were, in a
midst of human emotion. It was Jepson, the butler. He coughed humbly.

"Hexcuse me, sir," he faltered. "But Mrs. Hordway h'ain't quite so well
lately, sir. 'Ave you hobserved that?"

Laurie nodded. "I noticed it to-day," he admitted.

"She's losin' strength very fast, sir. Hall of us 'as seen it. Cook says
she don't eat nothink. And Susanne and the nurse says it's 'ard work to
get 'er from the bed to 'er chair--"

Laurie checked these revelations.

"Has the doctor been here to-day?"

"Yessir, two of 'em 'ave been 'ere. Doctor Speyer comes hevery day. This
morning 'e brought Doctor Hames again. Hit's very hupsetting, sir, with
'er brother away and hall."

The man was genuinely anxious. Laurie tried to reassure him.

"She may be better in a day or two," he said, more buoyantly than he
felt. "But I'll come in every day. And here's my telephone number. If
anything goes wrong, call me up immediately. Leave a message if I'm not
there."

"Yessir. Thank you, sir." Jepson was pathetically grateful and relieved.
He had the English servant's characteristic need of sanction and
authority.

When Laurie reached his rooms, he called Sonya on the telephone. Like
Jepson, he was feeling rather overwhelmed by his responsibilities. It
was a relief to hear Sonya's deep, colorful voice.

"Didn't know you were here till just now," he told her. "I'm coming to
see you in the morning. I want to talk to you about a lot of things."

"Including Mrs. Ordway?" suggested Sonya.

"Yes. You saw her to-day. You noticed--"

"Of course. Samuel is to be operated on to-morrow. I'll send him back to
Devon House with his mother in a few days, as soon as he can safely
travel, and I shall stay right here."

"That's splendid of you!"

"It's what Barbara and Mr. Warren would wish. And Mrs. Ordway, too, I
think, though she would never suggest it."

"I'm sure it is."

Laurie hung up the receiver with a nervous hand. To a youth of
twenty-four it is a