Dorothy stopped with a piece of toast half way to her lips.

"_My people_!" she exclaimed.

"Yes," said Paul, unmindful of the impression he had made.

"Really, Mr. Henley, what are you talking about?"

"The Guirs!" said Paul, still unheedful.

Suddenly he looked up, and the expression on the girl's face startled
him.

"Are you ill?" he cried. "Is there anything I can do for you?"

"No, no," she gasped. "It is nothing. I am nervous. I am always
nervous in the morning, and you gave me quite a turn. There now, I
shall feel better directly."

If Paul was astonished before, he was dumfounded now. He could not
imagine how anything he had said could produce such an effect, but he
watched the return of color to the girl's face with satisfaction.
Presently she looked up at him with a smile and said:

"It is all right now, but you must excuse me for a minute. I shall be
back immediately."

She got up and left the room, leaving Paul alone. His appetite had
quite departed, so he turned his chair around and looked out of the
window at the boxwood bushes and the trees beyond. Not a human figure