begged Mr. Challoner, with an imploring
look, to sustain her in the interview she saw before her. He had no
desire for this encounter, especially as Mr. Brotherson's glance in his
direction had been anything but conciliatory. He was quite convinced
that nothing was to be gained by it, but he could not resist her appeal,
and followed them into the little room whose limited dimensions made
the tall Orlando look bigger and stronger and more lordly in his
self-confidence than ever.

"I am sorry it is so late," she began, contemplating his intrusive
figure with forced composure. "We have to be very quiet in the evenings
so as not to disturb your brother's first sleep which is of great
importance to him."

"Then I'm not to see him to-night?"

"I pray you to wait. He's--he's been a very sick man."

"Dangerously so?"

"Yes."

Orlando continued to regard her with a peculiar awakening gaze, showing,
Mr. Challoner thought, more interest in her than in his brother, and
when he spoke it was mechanically and as if in sole obedience to the
proprieties of the occasion.

"I did not know he was ill till very lately. His last letter was a
cheerful one, and I supposed that all was right till chance revealed
the truth. I came on at once. I was intending to come anyway. I have
business here, as you probably know, Miss Scott."

She shook her head. "I know very little about business," said she.

"My brother has not told you why he expected me?"

"He has not even told me that he expected you."

"No?" The word was highly expressive; there was surprise in it and a
touch of wonder, but more than all, satisfaction. "Oswald was always
close-mouthed," he declared. "It's a good fault; I'm obliged to the
boy."

These last words were uttered with a lightness which imposed upon his
two highly agitated hearers, causing Mr. Challoner to frown and Doris
to shrink back in indignation at the man who could indulge in a sportive
suggestion in presence of such fears, if not of such memories, as the
situation evoked. But to one who knew the strong and self-contained
man--to Sweetwater possibly, had he been present,--there was in this
very attempt--in his quiet manner and in the strange and fitful flash
of his ordinarily quick eye, that which showed he was labouring--and had
been labouring almost from his first entrance, under an excitement of
thought and feeling which in one of his powerfully organised nature must
end and that soon in an outburst