ll upon me to help you. My sister will surely
do nothing that her brother cannot sanction?"

She dropped her eyes and said, simply: "I will do what you wish me
to."

"You will give me your confidence, then?"

"Yes."

"Am I to hear a complete history of all that has happened thus far
from Mrs. Girard?"

"Yes."

"And, after hearing it, may I communicate with you?"

She glanced up in surprise.

"Or," continued he; "better still, may I come down to Bellair and talk
things over with you, should I deem it advisable?"

"If you wish;" looking glad.

"Mind, I don't want to intrude; I will not come if you don't desire
it; but I shall wish to come. And you may manage our interviews as you
see fit. I will do nothing to compromise you in the eyes of the people
you are among. May I come?"

"Yes;" very softly, and trembling under his hand.

"Then we will say no more about all this to-night. You have already
abused your strength, and if you don't get rest and sleep we shall
have you ill again, and then what would become of our little
detective?"

Olive came forward with outstretched hands and pleading eyes. "I can't
wait any longer to be forgiven for my thoughtless words," she said.
"Madeline, you will forgive me?"

"Of course Madeline will," replied Clarence. "Now you had better
forgive Madeline for putting such a perverse construction upon your
words, and then we will send her away to get the rest she must have."

"I was abominable, Olive," said the girl, so ruefully that Clarence
laughed outright. "Of course, I know you are too kind to say a cruel
thing. I--I believe I was trying to quarrel with you all; do forgive
me."

"Of course you were trying to quarrel with us; and I haven't a bit of
faith in your penitence now, young lady," said Clarence, rising and
smiling. "I can't believe in you until I am assured that you will go
to bed straightway, and swallow every bit of the wine I shall send up
to you."

"With something nice in it," suggested Olive.

"With something very nice in it, of course. Now, will you obey so
tyrannical a brother, and swallow his first brotherly prescription
without making a face?"

All his kindness and care for her comfort brought a thrill of gladness
to the girl's heart, and some of the old _debonnaire_, half-defiant
light back to her eyes, as she replied, while rising from her chair,
in obedience to a gesture of playful authority from Clarence, "Will I
accept a scolding and go to b