to set you right again. You know you always believed in his skill.'

'Horton is a clever fellow enough, as country doctors go; but at
Hastings I could have had the best physicians in London to see me,'
grumbled his lordship.

The rustic maid-servant came in to lay the table, assisted by her
ladyship's footman, who looked a good deal too tall for the room.

'I shan't dine,' said the Earl. 'I am a great deal too ill and cold.
Light a fire in my room, girl, and send Steadman to me'--this to the
footman, who hastened to obey. 'You can send me up a basin of soup
presently. I shall go to bed at once.'

He left the room without another word to his wife, who sat by the hearth
staring thoughtfully at the cheery wood fire. Presently she looked up,
and saw that the man and maid were going on with their preparations for
dinner.

'I do not care about dining alone,' said her ladyship. 'We lunched at
Windermere, and I have no appetite. You can clear away those things, and
bring me some tea.'

When the table furniture had been cleared, and a neat little tea-tray
set upon the white cloth, Lady Maulevrier drew her chair to the table,
and took out her pocket-book, from which she produced a letter. This she
read more than once, meditating profoundly upon its contents.

'I am very sorry he has come home,' wrote her correspondent, 'and yet if
he had stayed in India there must have been an investigation on the