"Then I hope you and Mrs Bolter will help and see that she makes no foolish match. I beg her pardon, though," he added, hastily; "she is not a girl who would do that." "You are first in the field," said the doctor, in spite of an admonitory shake of the head from his lady. "Why not make your hay while the sun shines?" The Resident sat gazing very seriously out at sea, and his voice was very low and tender as he replied: "No; Miss Stuart is a young lady for whom I feel just such sentiments as I should presume a man would feel for his bright, intelligent child. That is all, Mrs Bolter," he said, turning quickly. "I ought to congratulate you upon the warm hold you have upon Miss Grey's affections." He rose then and walked away, with the little doctor's wife watching him intently. "Henry," she said suddenly, "that man is either a very fine fellow or else he is an arch-hypocrite." "Well, I'll vouch he isn't the last," said the doctor, warmly, "for I've known him ten years, and I've had him down twice with very severe attacks of fever. I know him by heart. I've sounded him all over, heart, lungs, liver: he hasn't a failing spot in his whole body." "Bless the man!" said Mrs Doctor, "just as if that had anything to do with his character for honesty and truth. Now look there, Henry, really I cannot bear it much longer. That girl's conduct is scandalous?" "What, Grey Stuart's?" "No; absurd! Helen Perowne's. Why the young men all seem to be mad." "Moths round a candle," said the doctor. "There, don't worry yourself, my dear, it's only her way. She loves admiration, and young fellows admire her, so it suits both sides." "But I don't like a young lady who is under our charge to be so fond of admiration." "Oh, there's no harm in her. She is one of those ladies who seem to have been born to exact attention; and as there are plenty ready to pay toll, why, what does it matter?" "It matters a great deal," said the little lady, indignantly; "and no good will come of it. One day she is trying to lead Mr Harley at her heels like a lapdog; the next day it is Captain Lindley; the next, Mr Adjutant Morris; then Lieutenant Barlow. Why, she was making eyes at Captain Pennelle yesterday at dinner. I declare the girl seems quite to infatuate the men, and you see if trouble does not come of it." "Oh, tut! tut! Nonsense, my dear, what trouble should come?" "Quarrels, and duels, and that sort of thing." "Men don't fight duels now, my dear. Oh, no, don't you be uneasy. We shall soon be at Sindang now, and then we can hand your incubus over to papa Perowne, and be free of it all." "I shall be very glad, I'm sure," said the lady. "There look at her. I suppose that's the last conquest!" "Whom do you mean?" said the doctor, drowsily, for he had just settled himself for a nap in the yielding cane chair. "That great, tall young officer, who came on board at Colombo."