the
sky and trees. After one or two attempts at consolation, Greta sank on
the floor, and remained there, humbly gazing at her sister in a silence
only broken when Christian cleared her throat of tears, and by the song
of birds in the garden. In the afternoon she slipped away and did not
come back again.

After his interview with Mr. Treffry, Herr Paul took a bath, perfumed
himself with precision, and caused it to be clearly understood that,
under circumstances such as these, a man's house was not suited for a
pig to live in. He shortly afterwards went out to the Kurbaus, and had
not returned by dinner-time.

Christian came down for dinner. There were crimson spots in her cheeks,
dark circles round her eyes; she behaved, however, as though nothing
had happened. Miss Naylor, affected by the kindness of her heart and the
shock her system had sustained, rolled a number of bread pills, looking
at each as it came, with an air of surprise, and concealing it with
difficulty. Mr. Treffry was coughing, and when he talked his voice
seemed to rumble even more than usual. Greta was dumb, trying to catch
Christian's eye; Mrs. Decie alone seemed at ease. After dinner Mr.
Treffry went off to his room, leaning heavily on Christian's shoulder.
As he sank into his chair, he said to her:

"Pull yourself together, my dear!" Christian did not answer him.

Outside his room Greta caught her by the sleeve.

"Look!" she whispered, thrusting a piece of paper into Christian's hand.
"It is to me from Dr. Edmund, but you must read it."

Christian opened the note, which ran as follows:

"MY PHILOSOPHER AND FRIEND,--I received your note, and went to our
friend's studio; he was not in, but half an hour ago I stumbled on
him in the Platz. He is not quite himself; has had a touch of the
sun--nothing serious: I took him to my hotel, where he is in bed. If
he will stay there he will be all right in a day or two. In any case he
shall not elude my clutches for the present.

"My warm respects to Mistress Christian.--Yours in friendship and
philosophy,

"EDMUND DAWNEY."

Christian read and re-read this note, then turned to Greta.

"What did you say to Dr. Dawney?"

Greta took back the piece of paper, and replied: "I said:

"'DEAR DR. EDMUND,--We are anxious about Herr Harz. We think he is
perhaps not very well to-day. We (I and Christian) should like to know.
You can tell us. Please shall you? GRETA.'

"That is what I said."

Christian