w evening I shall be missing my kind nurse and hostess," he
said, gently, "and shall be wishing myself back in this cosy parlour,"
and then he added, abruptly, "Look here, Mrs. Luttrell, I am not much
of a hand at making pretty speeches, but if ever I can do a good turn
for you and the doctor I shall be proud and happy to do it."

"He is very grateful, Marcus," observed Olivia, as she lingered a
moment by her husband's side. "There were tears in his eyes as he said
that. Poor fellow, I cannot help liking him. There is something
_debonnaire_ and boyish about him, in spite of all he has been through,
and certainly he has been very amusing this evening, but," with a
little caressing touch, "how nice it will be when we are alone again!"
And Marcus smiled assent.

CHAPTER XIV.

AN EVENTFUL DAY.

"Forget not thy sins that thou mayest sorrow and repent."--_Petrarch_.

When Olivia woke the next morning she was conscious of a curious
feeling; an indefinable presentiment that she could not put into words.
"How I wish the day were over," she said to herself; and the thought of
her visit to Galvaston House, and Mr. Gaythorne's sharp, cynical
speeches, quite oppressed her.

"I hope he will be civil to Mr. Barton," she observed later on to her
husband. "Mr. Barton is very proud and touchy, and he will not submit
to a course of cross-examination from a stranger. I am quite dreading
the afternoon." But Marcus only laughed at her fears.

"Barton can hold his own," was his reply. "He is a bit peppery, but he
is not such a fool as to quarrel with his bread and butter. He knows
Mr. Gaythorne is a connoisseur, and he will put up with a few sarcastic
speeches in the hope of future profits. Mr. Gaythorne could make him
extremely useful; he hinted as much to me this morning. There are some
pictures he wants rehung, and one or two that need cleaning and
varnishing. Barton has only got to prove without doubt that he and not
Goddard painted that picture, and then they will get on all right. You
must just hold your tongue, Livy, and leave them to fight it out." And
Olivia resolved to abide by this prudent advice.

Robert Barton worked hard most of the morning, and then, as the sun
shone brightly, he went out for a stroll before the early dinner.

He came back looking so pale and tired that Olivia scolded him for
taking too long a walk.

"I have not been far," he returned, sitting down in rather a weary
manner, "and