"Very kind of her," he answered briefly, and was careful not to refer to the subject again. Mr Burton regretted that he had no more expansive message of appreciation to carry away with him. But Mrs Lawless did not appear disappointed. She had not expected more. His want of curiosity as to the identity of the sender of the flowers told her what she desired to know. He was fully aware that she was staying in the hotel. The next day she gathered fresh flowers, and Mr Burton carried them in as before. On this occasion the recipient made no remark; so far as Mr Burton saw he did not even look at them. The little man carried away a sorely troubled heart. After his simple fashion he had grown fond of Zoe Lawless. It was a real delight to him to bear her any small crumb of comfort, to have to go to her empty-handed distressed him beyond measure. She shook her head at sight of his serious face and smiled faintly. She could always judge the nature of the news he brought before he imparted it by the gravity or gladness of his look. To-day it was very grave, and since the patient's condition no longer called for serious anxiety, she knew her offering had not been well received. "He snubbed my poor little gift," she said. And he wondered how she had divined it, and sought, as he always did when he believed she was feeling hurt, to offer consolation. "He's rather peevish to-day," he explained excusingly. "He gets weary of lying there with nothing to do, and it makes him irritable. Not that he said anything unkind about the flowers... He--he didn't appear to notice them." She nodded. "I know," she said. That day the doctor removed his veto. "There is no reason why you shouldn't visit your husband now, Mrs Lawless," he informed her, "if you are careful not to excite him, nor stay long in the room." She looked at him for a while thoughtfully, and a soft rose crept into her cheeks. "Since he is so far recovered," she answered quietly, "I think I will not risk retarding his progress--unless he asks for me." On the following day she gathered her flowers as before, and sent them by her trusty messenger. "He has got to look at them this morning," she announced as she gave them into his hands. "Take them to the bedside, and just say, `Zoe sends them.'" Mr Burton quite blushed at the idea of taking such a liberty with her name; but he seized the flowers and departed hastily upon his errand, with many misgivings as to the reception that would be accorded him when he presented this remarkable message to the invalid. When he entered the bedroom the nurse withdrew. She usually did, but he had never appreciated the tact of the proceeding as he did on that particular morning. Lawless was resting propped up against a quantity of pillows. He was colourless and wretchedly thin in face, but the improvement in his appearance was already very marked. He gained ground daily now.