He laughed, and laid his hand on her shoulder. "Don't be afraid, Mona," he said. "We are not trying to establish a claim on you. The great medical light shall continue her way as heretofore, without let or hindrance. Give us your society for a fortnight, and we shall be only too much your debtors." "It will make the greatest difference to all of us!" said Lady Munro cordially. And Evelyn, with the facile friendship of a schoolgirl, slipped her arm caressingly round her cousin's waist. And so it was arranged. "Shall Nubboo call you a hansom," said Lady Munro. "She doesn't want a hansom," said Sir Douglas. "Throw your gown over your arm, and put on a cloak, and I will see you home." It was a beautiful summer night; the air was soft and pleasant after the burning heat of the day. It was natural that Sir Douglas should be curious to see the habitat of his new beetle, and after all, he was practically her uncle; but when they reached her door she held out her hand with a frank smile. "You have been very kind to me," she said. "Good night." "I am afraid Lucy would say I had not 'stood up' to him enough," she thought. "But all he wanted was to dissect me, and I hope he has done it satisfactorily. What a curious man he is! I wonder if any one ever took quite that view of the subject before? Not at all the view of a Sir Galahad, I fancy"--and she thought of a passage that had puzzled her in _Rhoda Fleming_--"but he was kind to me, and honest with me, and I like him. I must try very hard not to become unconsciously 'blunted' as he calls it." Her eye fell on a letter from her cousin, and she sat down in her rocking-chair, cast a regretful glance at the withered maidenhairs on her shoulder, and tore open the envelope. "MY DEAR COUSIN,--Your letter has just come in, and very good news it is. All the world looks brighter since I read it. I will do my best to make you happy, and although you will have plenty of time to yourself, you will be of the greatest use to me. Both in the house and in the shop----" "Good God!" said Mona; and letting the letter fall, she buried her face in her hands. CHAPTER V. "AN AGATE KNIFE-EDGE." It is doubtful whether Mona had ever received such a shock in the whole course of her life.