foundation and cause of it?

[Illustration: "SHE SO GENTLY MANIPULATED THE SWOLLEN ANKLE AND BOUND IT
WITH THE LOTION."]

She caught his hand in both hers, eagerly.

"Do you mean that we might live at peace; in love, as kinsfolk should?
Now--this peace day--when the Christ child comes? Is it that?"

But Marshall made a little motion which might be warning or contempt.
The old man's face hardened again.

"What are you asking? Look, you've wet my cuffs! Your hands just out of
hot water and all liniment!"

"Never mind your cuffs. _Look out for your heart._ You're a poor, lonely
old fellow, and I'm sorry for you."

Before he knew what she was about, Amy had thrown her arms about her
cousin's neck and imprinted a kiss--somewhere. It didn't much matter
that it landed squarely on the tip of his pudgy nose. Archibald Wingate
was so little in the habit of receiving kisses that he might easily have
imagined this was quite the customary place for their bestowal.

CHAPTER XXI.

A PECULIAR INVITATION.

It would be difficult to tell which was the most startled. Amy stepped
back from the unresponsive object of her affectionate impulse and
blushed furiously. She feared that he would think her bold and silly,
yet she had only meant to be kind, to comfort him because she pitied
him. Now, she was painfully conscious that Marshall was standing near,
coolly observant, with a cynical smile upon his thin lips. It was a
curious fact, which Amy instantly recognized, that this master of whom
so many people stood in awe should himself stand in awe of his own
valet.

"Ahem--shall I remove the bath, sir? Has the young person finished?"

Amy had not been accustomed to hearing herself spoken of as a "person,"
and the word angered her. This restored her self-possession. She looked
up, laughing.

"I don't know how I came to do that, cousin Archibald. I hope you'll
forgive me."

"Oh, I'll forgive you. I don't know how you did it, either. Well, man,
why are you standing there, grinning like a Cheshire cat. I tell you
she has finished. You can take away the things."

"Very well; it is time for your nap, sir."

The worm turned. "What if I don't take one to-day? What will happen?"

"I don't know, sir, except that you will probably be ill. The doctor's
orders are, when you have an attack--"

"Hang you and the doctor and the attacks, all together! You can leave
the room, can't you? When I want you, I'll ring."

Because he was