Grey would not have felt surprised. Why should she? The Reverend Arthur Rosebury was Dr Bolter's oldest and dearest friend, to whom the Rosebury's were under great obligations; and there was nothing to Grey Stuart's eyes strange in this warm display of friendship. Helen gave the bias to her thoughts as she laughingly exclaimed: "Then the silly little woman was jealous of him yesterday. Oh, do look, Grey! Did you ever see anything so absurd! They are just like a pair of little round elderly doves. You see if the doctor does not propose." "What nonsense, Helen!" cried Grey, reproachfully. "You are always talking and thinking of such things as that. Miss Rosebury and Dr Bolter are very old friends." "That they are not. They never met till a few weeks ago; and perhaps, madam, the time may come when you will talk and think about such things as much as I." Certainly there was little more to justify Helen Perowne's remark as the doctor and Miss Rosebury came along the garden path, unless the unusual flush in the lady's cheek was the effect of the heat of the sun. But Helen Perowne was right, nevertheless, for a strange tumult was going on in little Miss Rosebury's breast. She knew that Dr Bolter, although he had not said a word, was day by day becoming more and more impressive and almost tender in his way towards her. He lowered his voice when he spoke, and was always so deeply concerned about her health, that more than once her heart had been guilty of so peculiar a flutter that she had been quite angry with herself; going to her own room, taking herself roundly to task, and asking whether, after living to beyond forty, she ought ever for a moment to dream of becoming different from what she was. That very day, after feeling very much agitated by Dr Bolter's gravely-tender salute at the gate, she was completely taken by surprise. For towards evening, when the Reverend Arthur had asked Helen if she would take a turn round the garden, and that young lady had risen with graceful dignity, and asked Grey to be their companion, Miss Rosebury and the doctor were left in the drawing-room alone. The little lady's soul had risen in opposition to her brother's request to Helen, and she had been about to rise and say that she too would go, when she was quite disarmed by Helen herself asking Grey to accompany them, and she sank back in her seat with a satisfied sigh. "I declare the wicked thing is trying to lead poor Arthur on; and he is so weak and foolish that he might be brought to make himself uncomfortable about her." She sat thinking for a few moments as the girls left the room, and then settled herself in her chair with a sigh. "It is all nonsense," she said to herself; "Arthur is like me--too old now ever to let such folly trouble his breast." A loud snap made her start as Dr Bolter closed his cigar-case after spending some time in selecting a cigar, one which he had made up his mind to smoke in the garden.