"Are you better now?" asked Frances kindly. She could afford to be kind now she thought the field was won, and Charles' heart turned from her, she hoped for ever. "Thank you, yes," said Amy, confusedly, and striving to collect her thoughts. "How came I here? Who brought me?" "Do not talk just yet, you are scarcely equal to it. One of the men carried you in here." "One of the men? No one else saw me, then?" "No one." Then it could not have been Charles Linchmore's voice she had heard, as she lay only half-restored to consciousness? Nor his form she had dimly seen retreating through the half open door, as she opened her eyes? She must have fancied it. "I was so shocked, Miss Strickland," began Amy, trying to make some apology for her fainting, "and you know I am not very strong yet, and--" "Do not make any excuses, Miss Neville; the sight was enough to frighten anyone. I felt sick myself, but there was not much occasion for it, as I have ascertained Mr. Vavasour is not much hurt; but I thought, as you did, he was dead." Amy made no reply, she was too truthful to do so. It was best Miss Strickland thought _that_ the reason and cause of her faintness. "Had you not better remain a little longer?" continued Frances. "There is little chance of any one coming in here; and they will be all at supper presently." But no--Amy felt well enough to go; longed to get away to the quiet of her own room, and went. Dr. Bernard, hastily aroused from his sleep, came and stayed all night at the Park. He corroborated Charles's opinion: Mr. Vavasour's was but a slight wound. The faintness and insensibility that had alarmed them so, proceeded more from the effects of a severe blow on the head, which had stunned him for the time being. In a few days, with a little quiet nursing, he would be all right again; so the excitement and fears of everyone tamed down, and the supper prepared at Charles's suggestion was partaken of heartily by everyone but himself, and he was nowhere.