f his actual knowledge. He would have
been puzzled to say why he had jumped to the conclusion that Mrs. Vane's
mind was not quite tranquil; but he was sure that it was not. Possibly,
he was influenced by the conviction that it ought not to be tranquil;
for, in the course of his visits among the villagers, he had heard some
of the ugly rumors about Flossy's past, which were more prevalent than
Mrs. Vane herself suspected and than the General ever had it in his
power to conceive.

"Well, sir," he said--for Mr. Ingledew was always very deferential to
the Squire of the parish--"what I meant was more perhaps that Mrs. Vane
requires perfect freedom from all anxiety for the future than that she
is suffering from uneasiness of mind at present. Possibly Mrs. Vane is a
little anxious from time to time about Master Dick, who is not of a
particularly robust constitution, or perhaps about Miss Vane, who does
not strike me as looking exactly what I should call 'the thing.'"

"No--does she, Ingledew?" said the General, diverted at once from the
consideration of his wife's health to that of his niece. "She's pale and
peaky, is she not? Have you seen her to-day?"

"H'm--not professionally," replied Mr. Ingledew, rubbing his chin. "In
point of fact, Mrs. Vane intimated to me that Miss Vane refused to see
me--to see a doctor at all. I am sorry, for Miss Vane's own sake, as I
think that she is not looking well at present--not at all well."

"There she goes!" cried the General. "We'll have her in, and hear what
all this is about. Enid, Enid--come here!"

He had seen her in the conservatory, which ran along one side of the
house. He and Mr. Ingledew were sitting in the library, and through its
half-open glass door he had caught sight of the girl's white gown
amongst the flowers. She turned instantly at his call.

"Did you want me, uncle?"

"Yes, dear. You are not looking well, Enid; we are concerned about you,"
said the General, going up to her and taking her by the hand. "Why do
you refuse to see a doctor, my dear child?"

"But I have not refused, uncle."

"Oh--er--Mr. Ingledew----"

"I understood from Mrs. Vane," said the doctor, "that you did not wish
for medical advice, Miss Vane."

Enid colored a little, and was silent for a moment; then she answered,
in her usual gentle way--

"I had some disinclination a few days ago to consult a doctor, and
perhaps Mrs. Vane has accidentally laid more stress upon my saying so
than I in