"Yes, here, sir, and there's no need to excite yourself; they are here with a quiet nice lady, not a real aunt, but some way kin to them, and they're all going away soon." "Oh, they are going away?" and Sir Albert felt unaccountably disappointed. "Well, sir, they came for a few weeks, and they liked the place and liked the cooking and felt comfortable, and they stayed on." "I am sure I do not wonder," said Sir Albert, politely, "if you make them as comfortable as you do me." "Hoot, sir, and you that has aye slops. How can ye tell?" and Mrs. Macrae laughed comfortably; she was beginning to feel at her ease with him. "Ah, slops--are slops," he said, with a little grimace, "but there is a right and a wrong way of sending them up. I still remember being ill at school, and the greasy broth and cold gruel--_cold_ gruel!" "And may be a deal paid for you there; well, I do not believe in schools for my part." "Now your beef tea is good, though I am getting tired of it; and has the doctor never spoken to you about my moving? I am pining to get out." "Ech, sir, and you all smashed--you are wonderful, and so cheerful." "Am I cheerful? I am afraid you see your own reflection, Mrs. Macrae. I feel dull enough now I am out of pain. But I am very thankful," he added, in a more serious tone. "I am sure, sir, we are all thankful too. It would have been a sair pity if you had come here a corpse, and that is bad for an hotel at any time too." At that moment John entered and announced the doctor. "I am earlier than usual, Sir Albert. I have to go some way off, but I wanted to see you first." "Thanks! I am getting well fast." "And wishing to go out," put in Mrs. Macrae, hoping to see the doctor's face express disapprobation and corroborate her old-fashioned idea of fresh air being bad for all cases of sickness. "Of course, as soon as the moving does not pain you, you have severe bruises to recover from still--but fresh air. Yes, get out as soon as you can--lying here your spirits may go down. Yes, get out as soon as ever you can." Sir Albert gave a triumphant smile to Mrs. Macrae, who rose and left them, much exercised in her mind about these new-fangled ways. Thus it happened that soon a bath-chair was conveying Sir Albert along the level road by the sea, and that Mrs. Dorriman and Grace thus met him. "Miss Grace Rivers and her aunt, Sir Albert," said John, hurriedly, as he saw them coming, and he was sent by his master to beg them to come and speak to him. When they came nearer Sir Albert was conscious of a great and overwhelming disappointment. He must have dreamed of the expression in the girl's face, even the colour of her eyes. This face was like and yet unlike, and the cold steel-blue eyes, and the little self-satisfied expression, repelled him and made his proffered thanks an effort, all the time hating himself for being so ungrateful.