“Ah! I am glad to know it. I may act on the information one of these days. The young lady could not bear the fatigue of a journey to the south just now; the general health is a good deal below par; the nervous system wants toning; it is unstrung.” Sir Simon made no comment--not at least in words--but it set his mind on painful conjecture. Perhaps the electric chain passed from him to his companion, for the latter said irrelevantly but with a significant expression, as he turned his glance full upon Sir Simon: “We medical men are trusted with many secrets--secrets of the heart as well as of the body. We ask you frankly, as a friend of our patient, is there any moral cause at work--any disappointed affection that may have preyed on the mind and fostered the inherited germs of disease?” “I cannot answer that question,” replied the baronet after a moment’s hesitation. “You cannot, or you will not? Excuse my pertinacity; it is professional and necessary.” Sir Simon hesitated again before he answered. “I cannot even give a decided answer to that. I had some time ago feared there existed something of the sort, but of late those apprehensions had entirely disappeared. If you had put the question to me yesterday, I should have said emphatically there is nothing to fear on that score; the child is perfectly happy and quite heart-whole.” “And to-day you are not prepared to say as much,” persisted Dr. Blink. “Something has occurred to modify this change of opinion?” “Nothing, except the accident that you know of and your question now. These suggest to me that I may have been right in the first instance.” “Is it in your power or within the power of circumstances to set the wrong right--to remove the cause of anxiety--assuming that it actually exists?” “No, it is not; nothing can remove it.” “And she is aware of this?” “I fear not.” “Say rather that you hope not. In such cases hope is the best physician; let nothing be done, as far as you can prevent it, to destroy this hope in the patient’s mind; I would even venture to urge that you should do anything in your power to feed and stimulate it.” “That is impossible; quite impossible,” said Sir Simon emphatically. The doctor’s words fell on him like a sting, and this very feeling increased to conviction what had, at the beginning of the conversation, been only a vague misgiving. * * * * *