n't trouble about me. I have not half such a
hard time of it as Mollie. The nursing doesn't tire me a bit; it is
other things which make one feel rather ill at times."

"Just so. And it is about those other things that I want to speak.
Eleanor and I have been abroad for a month, and have heard little or no
home news. I was ill--that is to say, feeling rather worn out,"
corrected the doctor, with a sudden flush of colour to his thin cheeks,
"so we decided to treat ourselves to a holiday. I found on my return
that Mrs Connor was ill, and heard rumours which strengthened my own
conviction that her trouble was more mental than physical. It is not
giving a doctor a fair chance to keep back anything from him in a case
of this sort. I want you to tell me honestly, as a friend and
physician, if anything can be done to set her mind at rest."

"We are ruined, that's the trouble! The pater has lost every penny--not
by his own fault, but through some wretched man who has deliberately
cheated him for months back. He can't even go on with what business is
left, for want of capital, so we have arrived at the point when we don't
know what to do next. We look pretty much as usual, I suppose, but we
are just as much paupers as if we lived in the big workhouse over in
Smithdown Lane!"

Dr Maclure paced slowly up and down the room, stopping immediately in
front of Ruth's chair.

"But, excuse me--your uncle? Surely he will help at a crisis of this
sort. Before I went abroad I heard great stories of your life at the
Court, and of the very marked preference which he showed to yourself.
It seemed a foregone conclusion that his choice had fallen upon you,
and, if so--"

"Ah, that was a month ago! Many things have happened since then. Uncle
Bernard doesn't like me as much as he did. He discovered my weaknesses,
and accused me of being a coward. I am not a coward, as a rule, but I
wanted so badly to please him that I was afraid to be natural, as Mollie
was. Before we came away someone went to his desk and read the draft of
a will which he had mentioned a few days before. It was not altered or
tampered with in any way, but, of course, it was a mean thing to pry
into his private papers, when he had put us on our honour by speaking of
it. We all denied it, but just because I had been afraid before, I know
he suspects that I did it, and dare not confess.--Then we came away
against his wishes. Jack Melland left, too, so only o