"One of a very few," corrected Doris. "I think they all reduce themselves to that." "Perhaps," she answered gravely. "And now I want to know how long you can stay with us, Miss Maclean. You must stay for lunch to-morrow, whatever happens. Some cronies of mine--scientific cronies, you know--are coming to look at a wonderful microscope I have been buying. It cost a pretty penny, I assure you. Professor Murray calls it the hundred-ton gun. We should be glad of the opinion of a lady fresh from one of the greatest physiological laboratories in the world." A courteous refusal was on Mona's lips, but the description of the microscope sounded suspicious. She had had some experience of Mr Colquhoun's method of purchasing scientific articles, and guessed that he had probably given fifty pounds for a cumbrous antiquated instrument, when he might have got a simpler, more efficient one for ten. She was determined that the "cronies" should not laugh at the simple-hearted old man if she could help it; and if the opinion of a "lady fresh from one of the greatest physiological laboratories in the world" carried any weight, surely even a little perjury would be excusable in such a case. "I will stay with a great deal of pleasure," she said; "but, whatever happens, I must catch the afternoon train." When the evening was at an end, the two girls went together to Mona's room, and for a time they gossiped about all sorts of trifles. "Well, I see you are very tired," said Doris at length. "Goodnight." Mona did not answer. "Are you sure you have got everything you want? Let me put that arm-chair under the gas. That's right. Good night." Still there was no answer. "Have you fallen asleep already, Mona, or do you not mean to say good night?" "Oh, you old humbug!" said Mona suddenly, pushing an arm-chair to the other side of the hearth, and putting her friend unceremoniously into it. "Fire away, in heaven's name! Let me hear all you have to say. Now that I have come, I suppose we must thrash the whole thing out. I withdraw all my conditions. Let us have it out and get it over!" Doris was almost startled at her friend's vehemence. "Well, of course, you know, Mona," she said hesitatingly, "it was a great disappointment to me." "My failure? Naturally. I did not find it exactly amusing myself." "I don't mean that. I do not care a straw about the failure, except in so far as it delays the moment when you can begin to practise. That was the fortune of war. But I do think you are doing a very wrong thing now." "In what way?" "Burying your wonderful powers in the petty life of a village." "Look here, Doris. I mean to give you a fair hearing, though it is too late to change my plans, even if I wished to, which I don't; but suppose we drop my 'wonderful powers'? I fancy that theory is played out." "All the examiners in the world could not change my opinion on that score. But we will not discuss the point. Taking you as you stand----"