Page 157 (1/1)

His few patients seemed in his two months' absence to have dwindled

considerably in number, and no sooner had he returned than there came

to him from the Board of Guardians a colected by his substitute In a fit of pride Fitzpiers resigned his

appointeons to the union, which had been the

nucleus of his practice here

At the end of a fortnight he ca to Grace ain about that practice

in Budotiated for," he said to her "The preht hundred pounds, and I think that between your father and

et away from this place

forever"

The question had been mooted between them before, and she was not

unprepared to consider it They had not proceeded far with the

discussion when a knock came to the door, and in a e had arrived fro Dr

Fitzpiers to attend there at once Mrs Char of her carriage

"This is so with an interest

which he could not have defined "I have had a presentiment that this

mysterious woman and I were to be better acquainted"

The latter words were ht," said Grace, as soon as he was ready "I shall be asleep,

probably, when you return"

"Good-night," he replied, inattentively, and went down-stairs It was

the first tie that he had left her without a kiss