‘O, I don’t know, sir!’ answered Phoebe, her honest eyes all in a flush.  ’I don’t know!  For just as I ran up to see, Mr. Lewis he came back; and the minute Miss Hazel heard, she was off and away up the steps and into he house, and didn’t even wait to see if Lewis had found her handkerchief.  But, Mr. Rollo, she’s never been to ride since that day; not once.  And sometimes when she looks round sudden, her eyes’ll shine till they frighten you!’ And Phoebe wiped her own eyes with the corner of her apron, and looked up for aid and comfort.

’But Phoebe,’—­ and Collingwood here made an impatient movement rather suddenly and had to be brought back to his business—­ ‘what is the evidence of the illness you speak about?’

’Nothing else ever kept her from riding, Mr. Rollo.  And she don’t eat—­not three bits, sometimes,—­only she ’lucinates Mr. Falkirk so that he don’t know.  And when there’s lots and lots of grand company just gone, Miss Hazel will come walking up stairs ’most like one step at a time.  There’s no flying up and down in the house now, sir.  And if you could only once see her eyes, Mr. Rollo!  And you know how she used to sing every five minutes?—­well, she don’t do that,’ said Phoebe, with closing emphasis.

‘Thank you, Phoebe,’ said the gentleman at last, ’I am very much obliged to you.  I will see what is best to be done.’  And with a kind nod to the girl he left her.  But Collingwood walked every step of the way from there to the door of the house.  Dingee answered the first summons, also showing his teeth with pleasure at sight of Mr. Rollo; and ushering him in, darted away on his errand.  But Dingee presently returned, more thoroughly taken aback than often befel him.

’Can’t make it out, ‘xactly, sir,’ he said, hesitating.  ’Fact is, it’s drefful hard work to ’member messages,—­sight easier made ’em up!  But Missee Hazel say, Mas Rollo—­thought she say—­ please ’scuse her dis afternoon.  ‘Pears like dat ar’ headache done come back,’ said Dingee, in his bewilderment.  ’He been on hand, powerful!’

‘I daresay you delivered the message quite right, Dingee,’ said the gentleman, not at all surprised at its tenor; and giving the boy something to justify the showing of his ivories again, he went away And the bay walked every step of the road down the hill through the woods to the gates of Chickaree; but from there he went in a long straight gallop home.

CHAPTER XXXII.

CAPTAIN LANCASTER’S TEAM.

It was between eight and nine o’clock one evening, two or three days later, when Mr. Rollo was informed that some one wanted to speak to him.  It was Reo Hartshorne.

‘Very glad to see you home, sir,’ said Reo earnestly; he was a man of few words.  ’I beg pardon—­but are you going to the Governor’s to-night, Mr. Rollo?’

‘Powder?  No.’

‘I have just come from taking Miss Wych,’ said Reo, ’and met Lewis, and heard you were home.  Mr. Rollo,—­do you know that a four-in-hand party goes from Governor Powder’s to-night at ten o’clock?’