Mr.Elvan, who for his health's sake spent the winter in the south-west of France, fell so ill early in the year that Rosamund was summoned from Egypt.

With all speed she travelled to St.Jean de Luz.

When she arrived, her father was no longer in danger; but there seemed no hope of his being able to return to England for some months, so Rosamund remained with him and her sister, and was soon writing to her friend at Walham Green in a strain of revived enthusiasm for the country of the Basques.

A postscript to one of these letters, written in the middle of May, ran as follows: "I hear that N.F.has a picture in the Academy called 'A Ministering Angel,' and that it promises to be one of the most popular of the year.

Have you seen it ?" To this, Rosamund's correspondent was able to reply that she had seen "N.F's" picture, and that it certainly was a good deal talked about; she added no opinion as to the merits of the painting, and, in her next letter, Miss Elvan left the subject untouched.