The doctor folded the paper viciously and put it in his pocket, then he went out and climbed into his old buggy; he remembered quite distinctly that other morning when he had climbed into it at six o’clock to drive past the Eatons at a convenient hour. It might be said that the old man was so hardened in kindly iniquity that his conscience never suffered a single twinge. He and old Henk traveled more slowly up the hill, however, than on that previous occasion. As he approached Broad Acres he was struck with the dreary aspect of the autumn, and noticed that even the house itself looked less cheerful. He had seen Colonel Royall’s name on every quotation of losses in the Eaton Company, and he drew his own conclusions. At the door Diana met him. She was very pale. “Dear Dr. Cheyney,” she said, holding out both hands, “it’s a relief to see you! I couldn’t tell you over the ’phone--but--” She stopped, her lips trembled. “What is it, Diana?” the old man asked gently. “You know the Shut Room?” She looked up imploringly. The silence of the house behind her seemed impenetrable; the long hall was vacant. “I know,” said the doctor, and Diana understood that he knew even more than she did. “He’s been sitting there alone; he will not let me stay with him,” she explained. Dr. Cheyney stood a moment in some doubt, his hand at his chin in a familiar attitude of thought. His gospel refused to intrude into the confidence of any one, but there were cases where it might be an absolute necessity to interfere; the question which confronted him was whether or not this was one of these rare instances. “How long has it been?” he asked finally. “Two whole days,” replied Diana, “and he has scarcely eaten a mouthful. This morning he took only one cup of coffee; he looks like death. And you know how it is,--that room always affects him so, he never seems himself after he has been there. Sometimes,” she added passionately, “sometimes--I wish I could wall it up!” “I wish you could!” said Dr. Cheyney devoutly. “He sits there and looks out of the window: and twice he has forbidden me to come there,” Diana went on. “What can I do? It--it breaks my heart to see him so, and I’m sure my mother would not wish it, but he will not listen to that.”