As the time went on the Rector, far from feeling lighter in his burdens now that he had Cyril comfortably settled down, had two new sources of trouble: in his son Frank, who had made the rectory, or the town house that had been taken and handsomely furnished, his home. He said that he was going back to Australia, but not yet. Perhaps he should take a wife back with him. The Rector's other trouble was Julia, who had grown so pale and weak that at last, partly in obedience to Mr Perry-Morton's desire, it was settled that Sir Emerton Riffley should be consulted, and that eminent and fashionable physician was asked to call. Sir Emerton did call, and after a long visit, as he saw his patient had no complaint to make, none to describe, he settled that it was want of tone. "There is a want of heart action, my dear madam," he said, though there were times when poor Julia's heart beat at a fearful rate. "But you don't think--" "Oh, dear me, no! Oh, de-_ar_ no! A course of tonic medicine, a little alteration in diet, and a short stay at the seaside will quite restore us." "Do you think Brighton?" said Mrs Mallow. "Excellent," said Sir Emerton; "and it would benefit you as well." "Or Bognor?" "Nothing could be better." "Perhaps Hastings?" "My dear madam, if I had the choosing of a place for your daughter's residence for the present, I should decidedly say Hastings," replied the great physician, rising from the side table, where he had been writing out a prescription precisely the same as that which he had written for hundreds of other young ladies in his time; and then, after a very courtly smile and bow, he left the drawing-room. The Rector was summoned, and the next day the family was staying at the "Queen's" Hotel. "There, Julia," cried Cynthia, when they had been down a few days, "I think this is delicious, though we might just as well have stayed at Lawford. I don't know, though; I like the seaside, and we shall be as free here as at home in the dear old woods." Julia shuddered. "Oh, you foolish girl! There, don't think of that again. Let's enjoy ourselves while we can. The Perry-Mortons will be here soon." "Are they coming down?" said Julia, with a look of dismay. "Yes. Harry's aversion wrote to papa this morning, saying that they should be at Hastings on Saturday, so we've three whole days clear. What did Sage say in her letter?" "Very little," replied Julia. "She said that Cyril had had some little trouble though at his office." "I'm not surprised," said Cynthia, "but I hope he won't lose that." "Hadn't we better turn back, Cynthia?" said her sister, with an uneasy glance round. "There are no people here." "That's why I came," said Cynthia, merrily. "I like getting away to where we can be free. Come along; I'll help you down."