ame tone. Which he
did, after a short consultation.

"Dr. Harrison--you have seen the 'Butterfly,' I suppose?"

"_The_ butterfly?" said the doctor. "I have seen many--of all colours;
but the butterfly par excellence, I know not. Unless it is one with
white wings and black body, and spots of most brilliant red on the
breast."

"The one I mean combines more colours," said Mr. Linden. "What were you
doing in France, not to see it?"

"Seeing other things, I suppose. However, now you speak of it, I
believe that butterfly has flown over me--sometime."

"Please to imagine yourself a gay rover for the nonce," said Mr.
Linden, leading the doctor persuasively into the middle of the floor.
"Just suppose you are a Purple Emperor--will you doctor? Miss Essie
wants a story and forfeits,--I shall leave you to gratify her." But he
himself went to give Miss Faith a seat. That was done with a very
different manner from the gay, genial way in which he had addressed the
doctor: it was genial enough, certainly, but grave.

"You do not feel well?" he said, as he wheeled up an easy chair for
her. It was spoken too low for any one else to hear.

"Yes, I do,"--said Faith quickly. But her face flushed deep, and her
eye though it glanced towards him, failed timidly of meeting his; and
her voice had lost all the spring of pleasure.

"Then cannot you keep the promise you made about a disagreeable
evening?" The tone was very low still--(he was arranging her footstool
and chair) a little concerned too, a little--or Faith fancied it--but
indeed she was not quite sure what the third part was; and then the
doctor began his work.

For a minute or two she did not hear him, or heard without heed. She
was thinking over Mr. Linden's question and struggling with it. For its
slight tone, of remonstrance perhaps, only met and stirred into life
the feeling she was trying to keep down. Her lip took one of its
sorrowful curves for an instant; but then Dr. Harrison came towards
them.

"What insect on the face of the earth, Linden, will you be? What does
he resemble most, Miss Derrick?"

"I am not particular about being on the face of the earth," said Mr.
Linden,--"the air will do just as well."

The doctor was waiting for Faith's answer. Under the exigency of the
moment she gave it him, glancing up first at the figure beside her,
perhaps to refresh her memory--or imagination--and smiling a little as
she spoke.

"I don't think of any he is like, Dr