"She went for me--yes; but she was as cool as a cucumber. Do you know, once or twice to-day I felt not exactly nervous, but that way--but she? Not a bit of her. She was all froth and foam,----" "You are quite poetic, but you don't explain the 'sounder basis'?" "Hang it all, aunt, I can't think that girl means anything." "And yet when you came in just now, you told me she was so delightful and responsive." "I said 'delightful'--I didn't say responsive'. The truth was, it was _I_ who had to be responsive. _She_ made the advances--if they could be called advances. And that isn't what I call having things upon a sound basis." With which piece of wisdom the two separated, for though Lady Butts told herself that her _protege_ was simply suffering from reaction, and that the reaction would pass, she felt that no more was to be gained by pursuing the subject at present. When, however, the Bolderos declined her invitation for Thursday, and were not at home to the bearer of her note--(although George vowed he saw faces peeping from a window, and placed himself within view for a good many minutes thereafter)--her ladyship understood the meaning of the "business phrase," and owned that it had been correctly applied. She made no further effort, and the whole trivial episode came to an end--but it had had its effect upon Leonore. CHAPTER X. THE THIRD CASE. "Hollo there! Where are you off to?"--Dr. Craig hailed his young assistant who was just setting forth from the surgery door; "I want you, Tommy." Tommy stood still. He had thought the doctor out for the day, and had not heard the wheels of the returning gig. Otherwise--well, perhaps otherwise, he would have been busy within doors, not starting out into the sunshine of a brilliant June morning. "Where are you off to?"--repeated his interrogator, and this time an answer to the question was necessary. "I was going to the Abbey, sir." An observant person might have noted that the young man would have preferred not to say it, and a very observant person might also have seen that he shifted the parcel in his hand, and moved his feet uneasily. Dr. Craig however either saw nothing or affected to do so. "To the Abbey? Who's ill there?" he said, quickly. "Anything sudden?" "No, sir. Mrs. Stubbs----" "Mrs. Stubbs? What's wrong with her? I saw her on the road yesterday." "She called here, but you were out. There's nothing much the matter, but she wanted a tonic. I--I forgot to mention it." "And you forgot something else, mister. No tonics go out from here that I don't prescribe. Here, give me that bottle. What's this? Trash. If Mrs. Stubbs wants a tonic----" "She merely mentioned that she was not feeling quite the thing, sir; and I--it was my suggestion----"