"But she surely doesn't visit him," said Eustace in an astonished tone, "because, in the first place, she doesn't care for him, and in the second, she's too cautious to jeopardise her position in Society." "She does not exactly visit him," replied Storge, rising, "but she sends messages, flowers, fruit, three-cornered notes, and all that rubbish. Of course it keeps Errington perpetually thinking about her--then he thinks about his wife, and between the two I'm afraid of the result." "Well, I'll go and see Mrs. Veilsturm," said Eustace grimly. "I've no doubt I'll be able to persuade her to leave my cousin alone." "I don't envy you the interview," observed Storge, who was a sharp observer, "nor her either. Still she's a fine woman." "A fine devil," retorted Gartney, with less than his usual caution. "She looks like it," said the doctor coolly, going to the door. "A Creole, isn't she?--ah! I thought so. Got a considerable touch of the tiger in her I should say. I wouldn't like to be under her claws--too risky. Well I'll go up and see our patient." "And I'll go and see Mrs. Veilsturm." "You'd better have your lunch first," said Storge "you'll need all your strength." "Very good advice, Doctor, I'll adopt it; at the same time don't be afraid of me--I'm a match for her." Storge laughed and looked keenly at Gartney's powerful face. "Yes, I think you are," he said carelessly, "I've read your looks--goodbye at present." When the Doctor had vanished, Eustace sat down to consider the situation, which was certainly rather problematic at present, especially with regard to the Errington-Veilsturm episode. When a strikingly handsome and decidedly unscrupulous woman sets her heart upon turning the head of a disconsolate man, with a somewhat weak character, she generally succeeds in her task. Guy had been certainly rather weak with regard to the sex feminine in his bachelor days, but since marriage, his love for his wife had been a safeguard against the dangerous raids of daring free-lances. Owing to his unfortunate quarrel with Alizon, however, he had lost his shield, and of this Mrs. Veilsturm had taken instant advantage, securing thereby an indisputable victory. In England, Gartney had felt some doubts regarding the entanglement of his cousin with Cleopatra, but now he saw plainly that Guy was still true to his wife, and that it required the utmost dexterity of his charmer to keep her captive in chains. If he could only be brought face to face with his wife, Eustace was convinced that everything could be arranged, and the influence of Mrs. Veilsturm over this weak soul destroyed. He would like to have written to Alizon, and asked her to come over in order to nurse him, and be reconciled to her husband, but he was afraid she would not do so. The only thing to be done, therefore, was to try and get Errington cured as soon as possible, and take him away from the dangerous neighbourhood of Cleopatra.