se is far too serious for me to be so sanguine.
I believe you have not nursed these nervous patients before. If Giles had
taken my advice he would have had a person trained to this special work.'

'Gladys's case does not require that sort of nurse,' I replied quickly.
'Excuse me, Miss Darrell, but I am anxious that Mr. Hamilton should know
of his sister's improvement before he goes out. Chatty told me that they
had sent for him from Abbey Farm.'

'Yes, I believe so,' she replied carelessly. 'Don't trouble yourself Miss
Garston: I am quite as anxious as yourself that Giles's mind should be
put at rest. He has had worry enough, poor fellow.'

I was rather surprised and disappointed when, ten minutes afterwards, I
heard the hall door close, and, hurrying to a window, I saw Mr. Hamilton
walking very quickly in the direction of Maplehurst. A moment afterwards
Chatty brought me a message from him. He had been called off suddenly,
and might not be back for hours. If I wanted him, Atkinson was to take
one of the horses. He would probably be at Abbey Farm or at Gunter's
Cottages in the Croft.

This message rather puzzled me. After turning it over in my mind, I went
in search of Miss Darrell. I found her in the conservatory gathering some
flowers.

'Did you give my message to Mr. Hamilton?' I asked, rather abruptly. I
thought she hesitated and seemed a little confused.

'What message? Oh, I remember,--about Gladys. No, I just missed him: he
had gone out. But it is of no consequence, is it? I will tell him when he
comes home.'

I would not trust myself to reply. She must have purposely loitered on
her way downstairs, hoping to annoy me. He would spend an anxious day,
for I knew he was very uncomfortable about Gladys: perhaps he would write
to Dr. Townsend. It was no use speaking to Miss Darrell: she was only too
ready to thwart me on all occasions. I would take the matter into my own
hands. I went down to the stables and found Atkinson, and asked him to
ride over to Abbey Farm and take a note to his master.

'I hope Miss Gladys is not worse, ma'am,' he said civilly, looking rather
alarmed at his errand; but when I had satisfied him on this point he
promised to find him as quickly as possible.

'There is only Whitefoot in the stable,' he said. 'Master has both the
browns out: Norris was to pick him up in the village. But he is quite
fresh, and will do the job easily.' I wrote my note while Whitefoot was
being saddled, and