hus excluded from your confidence in so
serious a case. Should anything go wrong," he added bluntly, "it would
be difficult to account to her even for my own reticence."

Sir Timothy rose majestic from his chair. "You will say that _I_
forbade you to make the communication," he said, with rather a
displeased air.

"I beg your pardon," said Dr. Blundell, "but--"

"I am not offended," interrupted Sir Timothy, mistaking remonstrance
for apology. He was quite honestly incapable of supposing that his
physician would presume to argue with him.

"You do not, very naturally, understand Lady Mary's disposition as
well as I do," he said, almost graciously. "She has been sheltered
from anxiety, from trouble of every kind, since her childhood. To me,
more than a quarter of a century her senior, she seems, indeed, still
almost a child."

Dr. Blundell coloured. "Yet she is the mother of a grown-up son," he
said.

"Peter grown-up! Nonsense! A schoolboy."

"Eighteen," said the doctor, shortly. "You don't wish him sent for?"

"Most certainly not. The Christmas holidays are only just over. Rest
assured, Dr. Blundell," said Sir Timothy, with grim emphasis, "that I
shall give Peter no excuse for leaving his work, if I can help it."

There was a tap at the door. The squire lowered his voice and spoke
hurriedly.

"If it is the canon, tell him, in confidence, what I have told you,
and say that I should wish him to be present to-morrow, in his
official capacity, in case of--"

It was the canon, whose rosy good-humoured countenance appeared in the
doorway whilst Sir Timothy was yet speaking.

"I hope I am not interrupting," he said, "but the ladies desired
me--that is, Lady Belstone and Miss Crewys desired me--to let you know
that tea was ready."

The canon had an innocent surprised face like a baby; he was
constitutionally timid and amiable, and his dislike of argument, or of
a loud voice, almost amounted to fear.

Sir Timothy mistook his nervousness for proper respect, and maintained
a distant but condescending graciousness towards him.

"I hear you came back by the afternoon train, Sir Timothy. A London
outing is a rare thing for you. I hope you enjoyed yourself," said the
canon, with a meaningless laugh.

"I transacted my business successfully, thank you," said Sir Timothy,
gravely.

"Brought back any fresh news of the war?"

"None at all."

"I hear the call for more men has been responded to all over the
country.