been making friends, discreetly left him to Grace, when she appeared, and
she frankly walked apart with him, and asked him if he could go over to
New Leyden, and telegraph to Mr. Maynard.

"Has she asked for him?" he inquired, laughing. "I knew it would come to
that."

"She has not asked; she has said that she thought he ought to be with his
family," repeated Grace faithfully.

"Oh, I know how she said it: as if he had gone away wilfully, and kept
away against her wishes and all the claims of honor and duty. It wouldn't
take her long to get round to that if she thought she was very sick. Is
she so bad?" he inquired, with light scepticism.

"She's threatened with pneumonia. We can't tell how bad she may be."

"Why, of course I'll telegraph. But I don't think anything serious can be
the matter with Mrs. Maynard."

"Dr. Mulbridge said that Mr. Maynard ought to know."

"Is that so?" asked Libby, in quite a different tone. If she recognized
the difference, she was meekly far from resenting it; he, however, must
have wished to repair his blunder. "I think you need n't have given up
the case to him. I think you're too conscientious about it."

"Please don't speak of that now," she interposed.

"Well, I won't," he consented. "Can I be of any use here to-night?"