"Doubtless, but justice flags. You can't expect me to beat you, Miss Smith." Tora smiled for a minute; then she wiped her eyes again, and asked gravely: "Are you never serious?" "Yes; I am serious now. Go to that poor woman; consider doing that in the light of a beating." "You'll let Miss Fane know I--I----" "Yes; and Dale. What a terrible facer for our celebrations, isn't it?" "Oh, yes. Harry has ridden over to see Lord Cransford about it. Mr. Delane wants the thing put off, if possible." "Can you put off a Prince? But I suppose he'll be only too glad not to be bored with it." "You know Janet is in a dreadful state? Poor girl! It must have been awful for her. The man had hold of her! Well, I shall go. Good-by. I shall run up here again to-morrow." The putting off of the Prince, in spite of Philip's doubt of its constitutional possibility, was managed: for the ceremony could hardly take place without Mr. Delane's presence, as he had been the inspiring force of the whole movement which had resulted in the Institute; and Mr. Delane felt it utterly out of the question for him to take any part in such festivities, in view of the dreadful occurrence in his grounds and of his daughter's serious condition. The doctors, indeed, told him that she had stood the shock remarkably well; they would not have been surprised to find her much worse. Her reason was unshaken, and, after the first night anyhow, the horror of the madman's grip and voice had left her. She did not, waking or sleeping, for she slept sometimes, dream that she was again in his hands, face to face with death; and Dr. Spink congratulated the Squire and Mrs. Delane on a good prospect of a total recovery. Yet Mrs. Delane and the Squire were not altogether comforted. For Janet lay from morning to evening on her bed, almost motionless and very quiet, whenever anyone was in the room. She asked once or twice after her fellow-sufferers, but, except for that, and answering questions, she never spoke but to say: "I think I could sleep if I were alone." Then Mrs. Delane would go away, trying to believe the excuse.