ous; but you know you ought to humor me.
It's only that I want my picture more complete--that's all."

And then, with nervous quickness, she did what he asked.

It was upon the morning following this little conversation that Dr.
Kirby made his appearance at the house on the river and declared that he
could not "explain."

"Tell me without explaining," Margaret suggested.

But this at first seemed to the Doctor even more difficult than the
other alternative; it would have been so much more in accordance with
his sense of the fitness of things to ascend this stumbling-block which
had fallen in their path by means of a proper staircase, carpeted steps
of probabilities, things he had foreseen--intuitions. But in fact he had
foreseen nothing; he felt that he could not make a staircase. So he gave
one great hard bound.

"Garda is engaged," he announced. "To Lucian Spenser."

Margaret was greatly astonished. "I didn't know he was back," she said.

"He has only just come. She went up to Norfolk with my cousin, Sally
Lowndes"--here the Doctor stopped, gazing at Margaret inquiringly.

"Yes, I left it to you to decide about her going--don't you remember?"

"I decided wrongly. Sally was obliged to go, and anxious to take
Garda--I was in Charleston, and I allowed it. I had no business to!"
said the Doctor, slapping his knee suddenly and fiercely. "I distinctly
disapprove of much travelling for young girls--mere aimless gadding
about. But I have been corrupted, to a certain degree, by the new
nor--the new modern ideas that are making their way everywhere at
present; I could bury my head in a hay-stack! When did you hear from her
last?"

"I had a letter from Norfolk immediately after her arrival."

"Before she had met him. And nothing since?"

"Nothing."

"Yes, she said she should rather have me tell you than write herself."

"She thought you would be on her side."

"No, madam, no; she couldn't have thought that--that would be
impossible. But she was good enough to say that I should, in the
telling, be certain to make you laugh. And that was what she wanted."

Moisture glittered suddenly in his eyes as he brought this out. He
pretended it was not there, and searching for his handkerchief, he
coughed gruffly, complaining of "a cold."

"I certainly don't laugh," said Margaret. "But perhaps we need not be
so--so troubled about it, Doctor. The first thing now is to have her
come home."

"She's back in Charleston."