physician, four miles off. He took a small motor-car, did the
journey along empty roads in twelve minutes, and was back again
with Dr. Mannering in less than half an hour.

The people, whose visit of pleasure was thus painfully brought to
a close, moved about whispering on the terrace. They had as yet
heard no details, and were considering whether it would be possible
to get off at once, or necessary to wait until the morrow.

Their natural desire was to depart, since they could not be of any
service to the stricken household; but no facilities existed on
Sunday. They walked about in little groups. One or two, desiring
to smoke but feeling that to do so would appear callous, descended
into the seclusion of the garden. Then Ernest Travers joined them.
He was important, but could only tell them that May had disobeyed
his father-in-law, slept in the Grey Room, and died there. He gave
them details and declared that in his opinion it would be unseemly
to attempt to leave until the following day.

"Sir Walter would feel it," he said. "He is bearing up well. He
will lunch with us. My wife tells me that Mary, Mrs. May, is very
sadly. That is natural--an awful blow. I find myself incapable of
grasping it. To think of so much boyish good spirits and such
vitality extinguished in this way."

"Can we do anything on earth for them?" asked Millicent
Fayre-Michell.

"Nothing--nothing. If I may advise, I think we had all better go
to church. By so doing we get out of the way for a time and please