'It is only faintness; it will pass off directly,' he said quietly. 'I will not leave you; but I have some sal volatile in that cupboard, and I think you will be the better for it.' And he mixed me some, and stood by me without speaking until the colour came back to my face. 'You are better now, Ursula--I mean,' biting his lips--'well, never mind. Do you feel a little less shaky?' 'Yes, thank you. I did not mean to be so foolish, but it was dark, and I got frightened and nervous; and oh, Mr. Hamilton, I must not lose time, or they will be coming in.' 'Who will be coming in?' he asked, rather bewildered at this. 'There is no one out, is there?' 'Yes, Miss Darrell and Leah. I heard them talking in "Conspiracy Corner"; you know that seat in the asphalt walk?' 'Well?' regarding me with an astonished air. 'Mr. Hamilton, I am better now. I am not frightened any longer now I am with you. Will you please call Leah when she comes in from the garden? I want to speak to her in your presence. I have a most serious charge to make against her and against your cousin Miss Darrell. It relates,' and here I felt my lips getting white again,--'it relates to your brother Eric.' He started, and an expression of pain crossed his face,--a sudden look of fear, as though he dreaded what I might have to tell him; but the next moment he was thinking only of me. 'You shall speak to Leah to-morrow,' he said gently; 'it is late now,--nearly ten o'clock,--and you are ill, and had better go to bed and rest yourself. I can wait until to-morrow,' taking my cold hand. But I would not be silenced. I implored him earnestly to do this for me,--to summon Leah into the study, but not to let Miss Darrell know. 'I suppose you think you could not sleep until you had relieved your mind,' he said, looking at me attentively. 'Well, they are coming in now. Leah is fastening the door. Finish that sal volatile while I fetch her.' I took it at a draught. But Mr. Hamilton's kindness had been my best restorative: I was no longer faint or miserable: he had cheered and comforted me. I heard Leah's voice approaching the study door with perfect calmness. 'Miss Etta has gone up to bed, sir,' I heard her say; 'she has a headache: that is what makes her eyes so weak.' 'I should have said myself that she was crying,' returned Mr. Hamilton drily. 'Come in here a moment, Leah; I want to speak to you.' She did not see me until the door was closed behind her, and then I saw her glance at me uneasily. Mr. Hamilton had evidently not prepared her for my presence in the study. 'Did you or Miss Garston wish to speak to me, sir?' she asked, with a veiled insolence of manner that she had shown to me lately; but I could see that no suspicion of the truth had dawned on her.