CHAPTER XXXVII

IMMEDIATELY after the birthday festivities, Réné was obliged to hurry back to Cambridge, after promising Joan that he would run down for Whitsuntide.

On the evening of the Friday before the holiday he had been enjoying a smoke and an argument with a particular friend, but having some work still to finish he rose early.

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Good night!" he said, earnestly, as he knocked the ashes from his pipe. "Probably we are both partly right. The old story of both sides of the shield. You come at it from the material, I from the mystical standpoint. Both of us are doubtless considerably out of the square!"

"No doubt," said the other. "And the odd thing is that I infinitely prefer your approach-if I could achieve it but I can't. Ah, by the by, there was something I knew I wanted to tell you, only these arguments knocked it out of my head. My landlady-she's desperately interested in you-was a nurse before she married. I promised her faithfully not to let you go out to-night without letting her pay her respects!"

Réné's face brightened.

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Why, she must be one of those who nursed my father. I wonder which it is of them. I was quite a small boy at the time. Yes, of course, I shall be delighted. Fancy her remembering me!"

Remember! Why, my dear fellow, she is positively

sentimental over your charms! You appear to have been quite a beautiful boy in those days. See what comes of being handsome!"

None could accuse Mansfield of being handsome, for he was a particularly plain, gawky youth, with an odd expression about one eye which his friends had to get over. But, once got over, they set him down as a good old sort.

Réné shrugged his broad shoulders. "I know I was a dreaming little pup in those days-in want of a good shaking!"

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Well, I'll ring the bell and disappear. I want to look a man up before I turn in, and I wouldn't witness the affecting greeting for a kingdom!"

So saying, he seized his battered cap and rusty gown and fled.

It was the "Night Nurse" who came in, clothed in the dignity of being Mrs. Burton. Réné good-naturedly asked her to sit down, and entering into a pleasant conversation, told her all the Langbarrow gossip he thought would interest her-about his birthday party, and Bridget's engagement, and then asked whether she were comfortably settled herself.

"I am most comfortable, sir. My husband is in a good way of business, and then we have the undergraduates. I shall always remember, sir, your father's kindness in leaving me that legacy. I put it by at the time, and it gave me a grand lift with the furnishing. My husband won't touch the housekeeping money-we put it all by."

"I am very glad it has been so useful!" said Réné, heartily.

"Ah, sir, I shall never forget that night; you'll excuse me speaking of it sir?" Réné smiled encouragingly.

"He looked at me so wearily when I came on dutyand no wonder-talking business as he had been doing all day. I remember I was really angry about it, and when I told him that it was quite time he calmed down for the night, for he had terrible restless nights, he repeated the words after me, 'Yes, Nurse, it is quite time I calmed down for the night.' It almost seemed as if he knew."

"Yes; it was very sudden at the end," said Réné, musingly.

"And then to think that he troubled about those two codicils, only that very evening! He would do it, so Martha told me afterward. Mrs. de Renegil wanted to spare him, but he wouldn't! Your father, sir, was one of the most determined patients I ever nursed. He signed both of them that night-and all for us!"

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'Only one signature," corrected Réné, who was always accurate.

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Oh, no, sir, excuse me. Don't you remember? but how should you? There were two of us. Miriam and Martha witnessed both; and we-that is Nurse Butler and I-send them a present every Christmas in remembrance. It is a little joke we have, sir," and she laughed. At Mrs. Burton's unconscious words, a strange feeling thrilled through her listener.

"I see!" he said, quietly.

"And you don't look so well yourself, sir," said the woman, solicitously. "Don't you work too hard, sir. The gentlemen who do it never get on so well afterward as those who go easy and take plenty of exercise."

"I expect you are right! Yes, I shall be quite glad of my holiday."

"And if you'll kindly remember me to Mrs. de Renegil I should be much obliged, sir."

"Certainly I will!" he replied, politely, as he rose. "I am very glad I have met you, Mrs. Burton; and I am sure it is most kind of you to remember me!"

Mrs. Burton bowed herself out, and Réné was alone. "Two codicils!" The room swam before his eyes, and he put up his hand to his head to steady himself. Now he knew perfectly well that both the nurses' legacies were on the one codicil. He had been made fully acquainted with his father's will in his many recent business talks with Mr. Dunstan. He had, moreover, been made acquainted, before he made his will, with the substance of the last conversation which the lawyer had had with his father.

"If there were two codicils-what was the second? and where was it?"

Mechanically he took up a book-the words of a new play Mansfield was getting up.

But the words were blurred, and his mind was busy seeking to pierce into that "dark backward and abysm of time "this woman had referred to.

He sat on in the growing darkness, deep in thought, until the door opened, and Mansfield burst into the room. He started back on seeing his friend still there.

"Oh, I beg your pardon! What, all in the dark? Why didn't you light up?" and he struck a match on his

trousers.

Réné pulled himself together.

Sorry I ought to have gone long ago."

Mansfield looked at his friend, noticing something unusual in the tone.

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Good heavens, de Renegil, is there anything the matter?"

"Oh, no-that is"

"Now, look here, my dear chap," and he pushed him

down into the one great chair in the room, "I don't want to pry into your feelings, but you're hit about something, or else-By Jove! are you ill? Have some brandy?" and he leaped to his cupboard.

Réné smiled a ghastly smile.

"Brandy would not help! No, Mansfield, thanks, I'm sorry I am such a feeble reed-but, fact is, I've just heard rather a nasty thing from Mrs. Burton-quite unconscious on her part. It has given me rather a blow— I mean if it is true. It might make some difference to me. One of the things that take it out of a fellow to hear, don't you know. It's lucky I go down to-morrow."

"What a beastly nuisance I ever introduced you," said Mansfield, much perturbed. "I'm always doing stupid things. The very mischief comes of doing anything in this world!"

Réné could not keep a glimmering smile from crossing his face at his friend's point of view.

"No, if there are things to come out-they had best come out. Festering sores are worse than open wounds."

"As bad as that, old chap?"

"Yes I am afraid, as bad as that! However, I may be quite wrong, and in case I don't feel inclined to mention this business again-you'll keep it quiet?"

"As the grave, old man! I took you unawares, and I'll keep my own council."

The two men stood together for a few minutes, and then Réné held out his hand, which the other took with a big, sympathetic grip.

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Good-by, good-by, old chap. Beware of taking things too seriously-that's your besetting sin! And the best of luck to you!"

On reaching Dudness station the following day Réné