Voices were heard outside at the moment, and Leonore swiftly turned and opened the door.
"Come in, Sue, come in and find me out. I've been trying to get doctored,"--and she ran on glibly--but directly the conference was over, shamefaced and crestfallen she flew to be alone.
"He saw; oh, how horrible, how detestable! How could I stoop to it?" For hours she rang the changes on this theme.
And the very next day, Sue, alarmed and repentant, herself conveyed her young sister up to London.
A friend who did not obtrude himself upon the departing travellers, but spied from the background, rubbed his hands as the train moved off.
Then as the big Boldero omnibus turned empty homewards, Dr. Craig stood still for a moment in thought, consulted his watch, and finally walked briskly up the street to his own door.
"What is it?" demanded a voice from an upper window; "forgotten anything, Humpty?"--and the attentive wife prepared to fly down.
"No, no; stay where you are." Humpty waved her back. "I have some work to do at home this morning," and he stepped into the surgery, where on this occasion his young assistant was dutifully busy.
"Hey, I'm going to send you for a run, Tommy; you can finish here when you come in. Take your bicycle, and go to Mrs. Brooks--you know the house? You don't? Well, you know Ashford Mill? It's near by. Any one will tell you the road. Call, and say I'm not coming till to-morrow if all's going on well. Of course, if I'm wanted, I can look in--let's see--some time this evening. But I don't expect I shall be wanted. And Tommy----"
"You needn't hurry back. Take your time, and get a breath of good air over the downs."
"Thank you, sir,"--but the dejected countenance did not brighten, and the rejoinder was mechanical. A few days before what a prospect would have opened at the above words, now it mattered not to Tommy Andrews what he did nor where he went. He continued to pound away with his back turned.
"Come, be off!" said Dr. Craig, good-naturely. "I came back on purpose to set you free. By the way--ahem!--you need not be afraid of meeting any one; you won't be tempted to break your word--not that you would, of course,--but, well, I thought I'd just mention it--the ladies are off to London."