Books, exercises, pens, ink, were all hurried into a drawer in the side-table, and away went Rose, meeting Mr. Henry at the door, for whom Miss Brabazon had sent. He no longer wore his grey travelling clothes, but was in a black surtout coat, looking, Miss Brabazon thought, very entirely a gentleman, with his quiet manner and refined face. "Is this for you?" she asked, holding out one of the letters, which bore a foreign post-mark. "It is addressed to Doctor Henry." He took it from her with a smile. "Yes, thank you; it is for me. Is there anything to pay?" "No. Are you really Dr. Henry?" "Oh, Miss Brabazon, it is only my degree at the Heidelberg University. I drop it here. I see this is from one of the professors. He forgot, I suppose: I wrote down my name for them all, 'Mr.' Henry." "But why should you drop it?" "It is much better to do so. Fancy a young man like I am being called doctor here! The masters would look askance at me, and the boys make fun of me in private. Please don't mention it, Miss Brabazon." "Certainly not, as you wish it. I do not quite see your argument, though. Here's papa." Dr. Brabazon came in with a quiet step. He threw himself into a chair, as one in utter weariness, speaking sadly. "Oh, these boys, these boys!" "Is anything the matter, papa?" "Not much, Emma; save that I feel out of sorts with all things. Don't go, Mr. Henry, I want to speak to you." Mr. Henry had been leaving the room. He turned back, and the doctor sat forward on his chair. "You are acquainted with young Paradyne, I hear, Mr. Henry." A sort of bright hectic flashed into Mr. Henry's face. Miss Brabazon noticed it. When she knew him better, she found that any powerful emotion always brought it there. "Yes, sir, I knew him in Germany. He is a very clever boy." "Ay, he seems that. I like the boy amazingly, so far as I have seen. What about his past history?" Dr. Brabazon looked full at the German master. Mr. Henry understood the appeal, and found there was no help for it; he must respond. But he had an invincible dislike to speak of the Paradynes and their misfortune. And the doctor was not alone. "You allude to that unhappy business in Liverpool, sir?" "I do. I am _very_ sorry the boy has been recognised here. You may speak before my daughter, Mr. Henry,"—for the Doctor saw that he had glanced at Miss Brabazon. "I told her of it to-day; she is quite safe. It seems almost a fatality that the boy should have come to the very place where Trace and the Loftuses were being educated." "Yes it does," was the sad response: and Dr. Brabazon little thought how bitterly that poor sensitive young German master was reproaching himself, for he had been the means of bringing young Paradyne to Orville College. "I'd not hesitate to keep the boy a minute, if I were sure—"