am downstairs. He will know what I want, and I am sure he will tell you
to give it to me. I hate to have to bother him just now, but I can
assure you that it would do him a good deal more harm just when he is
pulling round, to find that we were all on the wrong side of things,
than to have just one sentence breathed into his ear now."

Virginia seemed to hesitate.

"The doctor's orders," she remarked, "were very strict. I am sure I
don't know what to say."

"Doctors," Mr. Weiss said, "are all very well, but they do not know
everything. Just those few words from you can do your uncle no possible
harm, and they may save him a very bad relapse later on. I wouldn't
press this thing, my dear young lady, if I wasn't convinced of its
tremendous importance. You can trust me about that."

Virginia walked on for a few steps in silence. They were approaching her
uncle's house, and already a small crowd of people were collected,
reading the bulletin which was hung upon the railings. Mr. Weiss
stopped short.

"Isn't there any way of getting in without being seen by all this
crowd?" he asked. "They'll worry us to death with questions."

She nodded, and led him round the back way. Even here they were caught,
however, by a reporter, whom Mr. Weiss brushed unceremoniously away.
Virginia took her companion into a morning-room upon the ground floor,
and motioned him to a chair.