that they had
passed the worst of their troubles.

But alas! it was only an interlude. Scarcely had Bessie and Margaret
been settled at Ivy Lodge when there came anxiety about Colin--tidings
of his prostration by a bad attack of fever; then, when he was able to
write of his recovery, little Fitz broke his leg, and had to be brought
home at the cost of much expense as well as distress to be nursed well
again. And worst of all, through these many weeks a terrible suspicion
was dawning on poor Captain Harper--a suspicion all too soon to be
changed into a certainty--that he himself was falling back again, that
the very symptoms he had been warned of were reappearing, and that
unless something were done he might find himself a hopeless and complete
cripple.

He kept it to himself till Fitz was all right again; then it had to be
told. And the painful journey to London, which Frances heard of at
school, followed, with the great doctor's terribly perplexing verdict.

What was to be done? Every conceivable suggestion was made and
discussed, but so far no definite scheme had been hit upon.

It was at this juncture that the mail which brought the letter from her
mother so anxiously looked for by Frances Mildmay, brought also tidings
from Mrs Lyle to her relations at Southcliff.

_This_ letter came at breakfast-time; there was no mid-day post at the
little bathing-place, but it was nearer London than Thetford.

'From Aunt Flora, mother,' said Camilla, the only one besides her young
brother now at home. 'I do hope it is cheerful, otherwise----No, I
suppose it would not do for you to read it first before giving it to
father?'

Mrs Harper shook her head. She was a slight dark-haired woman, at first
sight more like her youngest daughter than the others, but with a much
more hopeful expression in her eyes, and far greater firmness and
determination in all the lines of her face, so that, in spite of
superficial dissimilarity, Bessie Harper really resembled her mother
more nearly than either Camilla, calm, gentle, by nature possibly, a
little indolent, or the nervous, anxious-minded Margaret.

'No,' she replied, 'it is no use keeping anything from your father. He
has got an almost magic power of finding out things. Besides, your Aunt
Flora always tries to cheer him if she can. Put the letter on the tray
beside his breakfast, Camilla. I will take it up myself.'

Camilla and Fitz had almost finished their meal before Mrs Harper