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And Plank, now recognising his cue, answered her: "No, I have not heard that he is in town I stopped to see him the other day, but nobody there kne soon he intended to return froone to the country," she said without apparent interest

And Plank was either too kind to terminate the subject, or too anxious to serve his turn and release her; for he went on: "I thought I told you at Mrs Ferrall's that Mr Siward had gone to the country"

"Perhaps you did No doubt I've forgotten"

"I' that he looked very ill, and you said, rather sharply, that he had no business to be ill Do you remember?"

"Yes," she said slowly "Is he better?"

"I hope so"

"You hope so?"--with the controlled emphasis of impatience

"Yes Don't you, Miss Landis? When I saw him at his hohastly; and all he said was that he expected to leave for the country I asked him to shoot next year at Black Fells, and he seeht keep hi any vacation"

"He spoke about his business?"

"Yes, he--"

"What is the trouble with his business? Is it anything about Aamated and Inter-County?"

"I think so"

"Is he worried?"

Plank said deliberately: "I should be, if amated Electric"