Mr. Brooke-Hoskyn waved her away impatiently. "’Brooke, my boy—’" he repeated for the third time. But Jane was tugging at his coat-tails. "What is it?" cried Mr. Brooke-Hoskyn, peevishly. "What the devil is it? Go away!" Jane clung to him like a limpet. "Master!" she cried again; and then, putting her lips close to his ear and covering them with one hand, while with the other she pointed frantically to the upstairs window, she whispered a piece of news which petrified him and made his eyes start out of his head. Then she ran back into the house as quickly as she had come. "Eh? What?" he cried, in great perturbation. "There, now!—So like Selina! Spoilt the point of my story!" He turned to the utterly bewildered Barbara, with half a mind to continue his anecdote, but thought better of it, and with a brusque, "Excuse me!" dashed headlong into the house. Madame, who had been quietly conversing with Mrs. Poskett and Ruth, came to Marjolaine. "I think I shall go in. Will you come, Marjolaine?" "Oh, Maman," pleaded Marjolaine, "I have so much to say to Barbara!" She accompanied her mother to their gate. "You are so feverish—so unlike yourself—! You are not going to be indisposed?" Marjolaine caught sight of Jack in the Doctor’s study. "Oh, Maman!" she cried, throwing her arms round her mother’s neck and kissing her with quite unusual ardour, "I am so well, so well!—I never was so well!" Madame looked at her searchingly. Could her daughter be heartless? To be sure, she herself had besought her to forget her girlish love, but Marjolaine had forgotten it too quickly. Madame went into her house with an uneasy mind and a troubled countenance. Miss Ruth had been arguing with Mrs. Poskett. "Well," she said, evidently alluding to the Admiral, "That’s what I should do! Bring him to his knees." There was a dangerous glitter in Mrs. Poskett’s eyes as she replied, "I brought Poskett to his: why should n’t I bring Peter?" "Strike while the iron’s hot. He knows we’re all disappointed with him, and he’s ashamed of himself. Now’s the time, when he ain’t sure of himself. Come along in. Put on your prettiest cap. I’ll help you." Just as they were at Mrs. Poskett’s gate they saw Doctor Sternroyd come shuffling round the corner. His manner was furtive, and he was burdened with a variety of small parcels. "Dear me, Doctor! How you are loaded!" cried Miss Ruth. The antiquary had evidently hoped to get home unnoticed. "Good evening, Ladies!" he stammered, in confusion. "Pray excuse me if I cannot remove my hat." "And not books, this time?" said Mrs. Poskett.