bird of paradise would have with a pair of rooks.

"She has brought the old man with her this time," confided Jacques to
Esther _en passant_, having admitted the trio to the salon. "He is a
very bad colour, that man! I don't like his look."

Nor did Esther, when a moment later she opened the salon door and
caught her first glimpse of Sir Charles, a gaunt, heavily built old man
with sunken eyes, unnaturally bright, and a dry, yellowish skin tightly
stretched across his prominent cheek bones. He sat leaning forward in
his chair, wearing his heavy overcoat with the fur-lined collar drawn
up about his thin neck and his big bony hands clasped so rigidly over
the handle of his stick that the knuckles shone blanched and polished.
He shivered slightly at the opening of the door.

"Here, Charlie, put on your cap," commanded his sister quickly. "This
room is always creepy."

"Yes, do put it on," murmured Lady Clifford gently, taking a grey tweed
cap from the table and trying to fit it on his head.

He brushed her aside with a petulant gesture.

"No, no, I don't want my hat on in the house. What do you take me for?"

The two women exchanged resigned glances, which patently said, "Well,
if he won't, he won't." Miss Clifford sighed as if a little anxious,
and the furrow between her brows deepened. She was strikingly like her
brother, with the same heavy features, but she was a good ten years
younger, and with her ruddy red-brown complexion and bright brown eyes
under rather bushy brows had a look of alertness and vigour, as well as
certain kindly simplicity which attracted Esther. She was dressed in
good plain country clothes, and her felt hat fitted badly because of
the thick coils of her hair, brown, streaked with grey.

"Will you come this way?" said Esther, holding open the consulting-room
door.

The three filed past her, Sir Charles walking with a firm if inelastic
tread. There was about him a look of obstinate, almost rude,
determination; he had the air of coming here under protest. Miss
Clifford looked at Esther with a certain interest.

"I have not seen you before. When did you come?"

"Only a few weeks ago."

"Ah, I see you're American. No, Canadian, is it? Well, it's pleasant
having someone here who speaks English."

Dr. Sartorius had come forward with a more cordial manner than he
usually displayed. He positively smiled as he took Miss Clifford's
hand.

"Well, you're not looking very ill," h