He had nearly crushed the poor little soul into the ground; she could not have supported his weight a dozen steps more. 'Perhaps you are not so strong yourself to-day, auntie dear; you are looking pale. Most likely the weakness is yours, and you are not so well able to bear his weight. He always leans heavily; I often wonder how you and Mary can keep him up!' 'Perhaps so, my dear. I hope it may be so!' But still the cloud on the dear old face did not quite vanish. 'I fancied that his reading in chapel was slower to-day than usual--that his voice was weak. Did you notice it?' 'Oh yes; I noticed that he read lovely! I never heard him read so well as he read to-day.' 'You really think so? I am very glad! The fault must be in me. I don't think I am quite so strong to-day--I can't expect to be at my age; but I am very glad there is nothing unusual the matter with the Master. You would have been quite sure to have noticed it, my dear, if there had been, as you haven't seen him for a week.' She kissed that mendacious little Lucy and tottered out of the room. She was very feeble to-day--perhaps the Master's weight had been too much for her; but there was quite a glad smile on her patient face. She was so happy, the brave old soul, to feel that the weakness was hers, not his. Wyatt Edgell went back straight from chapel to his own rooms. He met Eric coming out of chapel, and they went back together. 'Where have I seen that girl before?' he asked Eric when they got back to the room. 'Oh, you've often seen her in chapel. She's the Master's niece, or grand-niece, or something of the kind,' said Eric evasively. But the other was not so easily put off. 'I have seen her somewhere else, besides in chapel,' he said thoughtfully. 'I've seen her in this room. I've seen her beside my bed. Good heavens! Wattles, you didn't let that girl in--when--when----' 'When you weren't quite yourself, old man,' said Eric cheerfully, filling up the gap. 'What on earth should the Master's niece come in here for? Be reasonable, and don't ask such foolish things!' 'Foolish or not, I'll be hanged if I didn't see her in this room, standing where you stand now! You may as well tell the truth, Wattles. You may as well say you called her in and showed her the spectacle!' He was a very determined-looking young man, and he didn't look like one to be trifled with, as he stood with his back to the empty fireplace, leaning against the mantelpiece, and his great hands stuck down well in his pockets. 'Dear old man, you may take my word for it: I did not call her in; I should as soon have thought of calling the Master in!' 'I wish to Heaven you had called the Master in--I should have known the worst then; but for this girl to see me--in--in that state!' He paused and groaned, and two upright lines came out on his forehead.