Quatermain, as neither her venerated parent nor her loving fiance, for such I gather he is, seems to be about, you had better go and give her a hand." I obeyed with a groan, heartily wishing that Heda hadn't happened, since some sense warned me that she would only add to the present complications.

At the gate, having given some instructions to a very stout young coloured woman who, I took it, was her maid, about a basket of flower roots in the cart, she turned round suddenly and we came face to face with the gate between us.

For a moment we stared at each other, I reflecting that she really was very pretty with her delicately-shaped features, her fresh, healthy-looking complexion, her long dark eyelashes and her lithe and charming figure.

What she reflected about me I don't know, probably nothing half so complimentary.
Suddenly, however, her large greyish eyes grew troubled and a look of alarm appeared upon her face.
"Is anything wrong with my father ?" she asked.

"I don't see him." "If you mean Mr.Marnham," I replied, lifting my hat, "I believe that Dr.Rodd and he--" "Never mind about Dr.Rodd," she broke in with a contemptuous little jerk of her chin, "how is my father ?" "I imagine much as usual.