I could see he stood in a certain dread of that imperious little woman.
I conceded a point.

"I will go down in twenty minutes," I admitted, looking grave,--"not just now, lest I annoy my colleague,--and I will glance at Lady Meadowcroft in an unprofessional way.

If I think her case demands treatment, I will tell Dr.Boyell." And I returned to the smoking-room and took up a novel.
Twenty minutes later I knocked at the door of the lady's private cabin, with my best bedside manner in full play.

As I suspected, she was nervous--nothing more--my mere smile reassured her.

I observed that she held her thumb fast, doubled under in her fist, all the time I was questioning her, as Hilda had said; and I also noticed that the fingers closed about it convulsively at first, but gradually relaxed as my voice restored confidence.