“And no one has had the charge of her, except you and the nurse here? You can both swear she has never been tampered with?” “O! I think so, certainly, yes! Baby has never been from under the eye of one or the other of us. A young lady resident in the hotel--a Miss Brandt--has often nursed her and played with her, but one of us has always been there at the time.” “A Miss--what did you say?” demanded the doctor, sharply. “A Miss Brandt--a very good-natured girl, who is fond of children!” “Very well then! I will go at once to the pharmacien’s, and get a prescription made up for your baby, and I hope that your anxiety may soon be relieved!” “O! thank you, Doctor, so much!” exclaimed Margaret “I knew you would do her good, as soon as you saw her!” But the doctor was not so sure of himself. He turned the case over and over in his mind as he walked to the chemist’s shop, wondering how such a state of exhaustion and collapse could have been brought about. The baby had her first dose and the doctor had just time to wash and change his travelling suit before they all met at the dinner-table. Here they found the party opposite augmented by the arrival of Monsieur Alfred Brimont, a young Brussels tradesman, who had come over to Heyst to conduct his sister home. He was trying to persuade Harriet Brandt to accompany Olga and stay a few days with them, but the girl--with a long look in the direction of Captain Pullen--shook her head determinedly. “O! you might come, Harriet, just for a few days,” argued Olga, “now that the _Bataille de Fleurs_ is over, there is nothing left to stay for in Heyst, and Alfred says that Brussels is such a beautiful place.” “There are the theatres, and the Parc, and the Quinçonce, and Wauxhall!” said young Brimont, persuasively. “Mademoiselle would enjoy herself, I have no doubt!” But Harriet still negatived the proposal. “Why shouldn’t we make up a party and all go together,” suggested the Baroness, “me and the Baron and Bobby and ’Arriet? You would like it then, my dear, wouldn’t you?” she said to the girl, “and you really should see Brussels before we go ’ome! What do you say, Gustave? We’d go to the Hôtel de Saxe, and see everything! It wouldn’t take us more than a week or ten days.” “Do as you like, mein tear,” acquiesced the Baron. “And why shouldn’t you come with us, Captain?” continued Madame Gobelli to Ralph. “You don’t look quite the thing to me! A little change would do you good. All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy! ’Ave you been to Brussels?” “I lived there for years, Madame, and know every part of it!” he replied. “Come and renew your acquaintance then, and take me and ’Arriet about!! The Baron isn’t much good when it comes to sight-seeing, are you, Gustave? ’E likes ’is pipe and ’is slippers too well! But you’re young and spry! Well! is it a bargain?”