She looked up as he approached and seemed about to speak, so he resolved to give her the opportunity, and going up he said with a smile, "Do you know Miss Raleigh, I have been musing on killing slugs, and I think yours is a very notable employment." "Humph!" ejaculated the old lady, stopping short, and looking the doctor full in the face.--"And now, doctor, a word with you as a gentleman. You are here in constant attendance upon my nephew. He has a good deal of property and that sort of thing, but I don't think it ought to be wasted." "Of course not, my dear madam." "Are you doing James any good?" The doctor opened his eyes a little more widely at this, and then said: "Well, that is a very plain question, Miss Raleigh; but I'll give you a plain answer--So far, none." "Then why do you stay, putting him to expense? You know the other doctors say it is a case for years of patient waiting." "Hang the other doctors, ma'am!" cried Scales. "I do not go by what they say. I think differently, and have faith in being able to alter the condition of things." Miss Raleigh shook her head. "Ah, but I have, madam; and I shall go on trying till my poor friend sends me away.--And now, Miss Raleigh, before I go any further, I want to apologise to you." "Apologise! To me?" "Yes, to you. I made use of a very common but unkindly expression towards you, yesterday. Perhaps you have forgotten it." Aunt Sophia looked at him searchingly; and there he saw the look of pain that had softened her countenance on the previous day come back, and her eyes filled with tears, as she said quietly: "I never forget these things." "But you will forgive them. Believe me, I am very sorry, and I regret it extremely. I was worried and disappointed at the time." "You only called me an old maid," said Aunt Sophia, with a smile full of sadness softening the harsh lines of her face. "And I ought to have been ashamed of myself. It was the act of some thoughtless boy. Forgive me;" and he held out his hand. Aunt Sophia gazed at him thoughtfully for a few moments, and then placed her hand in his. "Let it go," she said softly. "I shall never think of it again." Jack Scales raised the hand to his lips, and had just let it fail, when he became aware of the fact that Arthur Prayle was walking along one of the neighbouring paths, apparently deep in the study of some book. "Confound him! he'll misinterpret that," said the doctor to himself; and then he saw that his companion's eyes were fixed upon him inquiringly. "You were thinking that Mr Prayle will make remarks," she said softly. "Let him. What is it to me what he thinks?" "No; it does not matter," said Aunt Sophia. "Let us go down here." She led the way along the walk to where the iron gate opened upon the meadows, across which lay the lane leading to the little ivy-grown church; and, wondering at her action, Jack Scales walked by her side.