Jaqui, 'and in full possession of her
senses.' And with this he closed the door.

"When the doctor recovered, both he and Jaqui were very glad to take
some wine, for they had been under a dreadful strain."

"_Had been!_" exclaimed the Mistress of the House, who understood the
heart of woman, and knew very well that the great strain had not yet
come. "But what happened next, John?"

"The next thing happened too soon," replied the gardener. "In less than
fifteen minutes the maid came to the two doctors and told them her lady
demanded to see her husband; and if he were not in the house he must be
sent for immediately. This greatly disturbed Jaqui, and he turned pale
again. If he could have had his own way at that moment he would have put
the lady back in her box and locked the door of the little room. He did
not feel ready to tell the story he had to tell; but there was no help
for it: he must do it, and that immediately. 'Go in, Jaqui,' said
Dr. Paltravi; 'prepare her mind as well as you can, and then I will see
her.'

"'Hurry, please, sir,' said the maid; 'she is very impatient, and I
cannot explain to her.'

"Thus reassured, Jaqui followed the maid."

"The quick temper of Donna Paltravi reminds me of Edmond About's story
of 'The Man with the Broken Ear,'" said the Mistress of the House. "The
hero of that story was a soldier who had been preserved in a dried
condition for many years, and who proved to be a very bad subject when
he had been dampened and revived."

"I have read that novel," said John Gayther, considerably to the
surprise of both his hearers, "and it belongs to the same class as
mine,--of course you know all stories are arranged in classes,--but the
one I am telling you is much more natural and true to life than the one
written by the Frenchman."

"I am quite ready to believe that," said the Mistress of the House. "Now
please go on."

The Daughter of the House did not say anything, but she looked very
earnestly at the gardener; the conviction was forcing itself upon her
that John Gayther himself had a story, and she hoped that some day she
might hear it.

"Jaqui was very much surprised when he saw Donna Paltravi. He had seen
her face so often that he was perfectly familiar with it, but now he
found it had changed. In color it was not as lifelike as it had been in
the box. She was pale, and somewhat excited. 'My maid tells me you are a
doctor, sir,' said she. 'But why do you come to me? If I ne