"Would you like me to go up to Jervis now?" asked
Sir John slowly.

Sir Jacques looked into the speaker's face. It was
generally a clear, healthy tan colour; now it had gone
quite grey. "No," he said. "Not now. If you will
forgive me for making a suggestion, I should advise
that you and Miss Rose take Lady Blake out somewhere
for an hour's walk. There's nothing like open
air and a high road for calming the nerves."

"I would rather not see my wife just now," muttered
Sir John frowning.

But Sir Jacques answered sternly, "I'm afraid I
must ask you to do so; and once you've got her out of
doors for an hour, I'll give her a sleeping draught.
She'll be all right tomorrow morning. I don't want
any tears round my patient."

It was Rose Otway who led Sir John Blake by the
hand down the passage. The dreadful sounds coming
from Mrs. Robey's sitting-room had died down a little,
but they still pierced one listener's heart.

"Do be kind to her," whispered the girl. "Think
what she must be going through. She was so happy
about him this morning----"

"Yes, yes! You're quite right," he said hastily.
"I've been a brute -- I know that. I promise you to
do my best. And Rose?"

"Yes," she said.

"What that man said is right -- quite right. What
we've got to do now is to start the boy on the right
way -- nothing else matters."

She nodded.

"You and I can do it."

"Yes, I know we can -- and will," said Rose; and

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