All this while she was tucking us into bed again, and when she drew the
curtains and left us we were afraid to whisper even, for fear of being
heard in the next room and hurting Harry.

At breakfast the next morning we were told that Gus was "nigh about at
Beecham by this time," and before evening the carriage had come just in
sight, and stopped, and grandmamma was walking up to the house.

Then followed a very quiet week, during which we never spoke aloud
without getting a sharp "hush!" Indeed, we were not allowed to be in the
house a minute longer than necessary, being down on the beach whenever
we were not eating, drinking, or sleeping. By the end of the week, Harry
was to be seen at these rare intervals looking very pale, and quiet, and
unlike himself on the sofa. I distinctly remember feeling rather
pleased as I looked from him to Alick, and thought how much more of a
boy Alick looked with his brown, rosy face, than the pale, languid,
almost girlish elder brother, speaking in a weak, tired voice from his
pillow. It was about another ten days before the close carriage came
from Beecham, and with plenty of soft cushions, Harry was laid in it,
and driven away back to the Park.

When we saw him there on our return, he was almost himself again, merry
and bright, but a little pale and easily tired.




IX.

_SUSETTE AND HER TROUBLES._