ere would be no Lady Tilchester to save
me to-night!

"Open the window," I said to Atkinson, "and persuade Mr. Gurrage to go
to bed when he wakes." And I left the room.

All my guests were assembled when I got into the first drawing-room.
Indeed, it was twenty minutes to nine.

Mrs. Dodd had the air of an aggrieved turkey-gobbler. I felt she would
fly at some one.

"We thought we should not get any dinner, Mrs. Gussie," she said,
huffily. "Folks are generally down in their own houses!"

I took no notice of this remark.

"I am so sorry to be late, Lady Wakely," I said, addressing her and
the other women, "but my husband is not well, and, I fear, will not be
able to come in to dinner. He must have caught a chill out shooting."

"Have you sent for the doctor? Because, if not, I know all about
chills with Wullie, who never changes his socks," interrupted Mrs.
Dodd. "Let me go to him, Mrs. Gussie."

"No, thank you. Do not trouble," I said. "His servant and I have
done all that is necessary, and he wishes to sleep. Let us go in
to dinner."

I told them each whom they were to take in, and put my own hand on
Antony's arm. It seemed as if he held it closely to his side, but he
said nothing, and we walked into the dining-room.

I do not know at all what we talked about. Certainly for three
courses everything was a blank to me. But I heard myself laughing,
and Mr. Dodd, who sat on my other hand, seemed mightily amused at
my conversation.

"Why, the open air and a little walking has done you all the good in
the world, Mrs. Gussie!" I was conscious, at last, that he was saying.
"Your cheeks are quite rosy and your eyes as bright as stars."

"Yes, it was a delightful day," I said.

"Talk about chills, Mr. McCormack"--Mrs. Dodd's voice carried across
the table-"I know Gussie Gurrage, and I don't believe he ever had a
chill in his life!"

Antony now began to talk to me quietly. He said very little. His voice
was particularly cool and collected. He never once looked at me. I
was grateful for that. I felt as if I could not bear to see sympathy
in his eyes. He also talked to Lady Wakely, on his other hand, and
chaffed beyond to Miss Springle.

And so the dinner passed, and the ladies rose to leave the
dining-room, Mr. McCormack holding the door for us.

As it was wide open, and all could see into the hall, an apparition
appeared upon the scene, coming from the passage that leads to the
"den"--Augustus, being supporte