“Do!…” with a little laugh. “Why, just have another court physician instead.” Hal’s eyes strayed round the room. “What loverly flowers, Lorraine! Don’t they almost make you feel a corpse?” “They would if they were white, I dare say.” On a little table by the sofa was a bowl of violets, looking very sweet and homely among the beautiful exotics filling all the other vases. Hal buried her nose in them. “How delicious! Who ventured to send your royal highness anything so homely as violets?” Lorraine’s eyes rested on them with a look of tenderness. “Some one not very well off,” she said, “who had the perspicacity to know I should value them from him more than the choicest blooms.” “It sounds as if it might have been Dick. Was it?” “No.” Lorraine replied in a careless tone, suggesting there was no special interest attached to the giver, but, for some unknown reason, Hal chose to be inquisitive. “The Three Graces are your only ‘hard-up’ friends, and Quin is down east, so he would not know you were ill. Surely Baby didn’t think it at all out by himself, and actually go into a shop and buy them?” “You shouldn’t call Mr. Hermon Baby, Hal; it isn’t quite fair.” “Oh, yes it is, as long as he is so objectless and purposeless. Besides, his face is so cherubic I can’t help it.” “I call his face very manly.” “Well, so it is—in a way: but it’s cherubic also; and then he’s so dreadfully placid. If he’d only wake up, and boil over about something.” She was silent a few moments, and then said suddenly; “Do you know Sir Edwin Crathie, Lorraine?” “No; why? I now of him.” “What do you know of him?” “Oh, nothing much. I believe he is a great lady’s man.” “I’ve met him,” said Hal; and she proceeded to tell of the motor mishap and subsequent meeting. Lorraine was interested and amused, but for some strange reason Hal did not tell the tale with her usual gusto, and nothing in her voice or manner suggested it was more than the most casual of meetings. Lorraine, a little preoccupied with her own feelings, for a wonder did not discern that Hal treated the incident with a lightness not quite natural, considering how exceedingly unlooked-for it was, and before the recital was quite finished Jean looked in to inquire if Lorraine would see Mr. Hermon. Lorraine replied in the affirmative, and a moment later Alymer Hermon entered the room. “I’m so sorry you are not well,” he said, in his frank, pleasant way. “I only heard of it last night.” “And then you sent me violets. It was nice of you. I appreciate them so much.” “I guessed Dick,” put in Hal, who had not risen from her stool. “I did not think you would have the energy to think of them.” “I have been feeling rather exhausted since,” he told her lightly. “Take the arm chair,” said Lorraine smilingly, “and have a good rest.” “Do,” echoed Hal. “I’m sure you are tired out with your day’s work.”