friend's actual abstention from orders. " No," she
heard him again distinctly repeat it, "I don't want
you for the present to do anything at all; anything,
that is, but obey a small prescription or two that
will be made clear to you, and let me within a few
days come to see you at home."

It was at first heavenly. "Then you ll see Mrs.
Stringham." But she didn't mind a bit now.

"Well, I shan't be afraid of Mrs. Stringham."
And he said it once more as she asked once more:
"Absolutely not; I send you nowhere. England's
all right anywhere that's pleasant, convenient, de
cent, will be all right. You say you can do exactly
as you like. Oblige me therefore by being so good
as to do it. There's only one thing: you ought of
course, now, as soon as I ve seen you again, to get
out of London."

Milly thought. " May I then go back to the con
tinent?"

"By all means back to the continent. Do go back
to the continent."

"Then how will you keep seeing me? But per
haps," she quickly added, " you won't want to keep
seeing me."

He had it all ready; he had really everything all
ready. " I shall follow you up; though if you mean
that I don't want you to keep seeing me"

"Well?" she asked.

It was only just here that he struck her the least
bit as stumbling. " Well, see all you can. That's

[[268]]

p267 _ -chap- _ toc-1 _ p268w _ toc-2 _ +chap+ _ p269

v?