‘Well, Arthur dear,’ she said at last, taking her bonnet, ’we must be going presently.  What do you think of Dane, Mr. Falkirk?’

Mr. Falkirk did not answer intelligibly, though the lady’s face was turned full upon him; he uttered an inexplicable sort of grunt, and knotted his eyebrows.  He didn’t like Prudentia.

‘I never saw anybody so changed in all my life,’ pursued the lady.  ’Such sudden changes are doubtful things, I always think;—­come probably from some sudden cause, and may not last.  But it is very surprising while it does last.’

‘I am sorry to contradict you, Prudens,’ said Dr. Arthur here; ’but Dane was never more himself.  He only happens to stand facing due north instead of north by east.’

‘He was “north” enough before,’ said his sister, a little, just a little bitterly; ’a trifle more of southern direction wouldn’t have hurt him.  But I think, he’s out of his head.  Men are, sometimes, you know,’ she went on, looking full at Wych Hazel now.  ’I shall let Miss Kennedy be judge.  Do you know what Dane has been doing, Miss Kennedy?’

‘Not waltzing?’ said Hazel, opening her brown eyes with an expression of mild dismay which was very nearly too much for Dr. Arthur.

‘Waltzing?’ said Prudentia, mystified.  ’I did not say anything about waltzing.  Why shouldn’t he waltz?  I think he used.  Why yes; he was a famous waltzer.  Don’t you waltz, Miss Kennedy?’

‘But I was always known to be out of my head,’ said Hazel.  ’In what other possible way could Mr. Rollo shew the state of his?’

‘I don’t know what you mean,’ said Prudentia, handling her bonnet.  ’Then you haven’t heard my story already.  You know that old Mr. Morton has failed; did you hear of that?’

‘Not the first time, is it?’ said Miss Kennedy coolly.  Dr. Arthur bit his lips.

’Yes, my dear! it’s the first and only time; he was always supposed to be a very rich man.  Well, Dane has taken his fortune and thrown it into those mills!’

‘I was afraid you were going to say the mill stream,’ said Wych Hazel, who was getting so nervous she didn’t know what to do with herself; ‘but the mills seem a safe place.’

‘I don’t know but he’s better done that of the two,’ said Prudentia.  ’A safe place?  Why, my dear, just think! he has bought all of Mr. Morton’s right and title there; with Mr. Morton’s three mills.  Of course, it must have taken very nearly his whole fortune; it must.’

‘I fancy there’s a trifle left over,’ said Mr. Falkirk.  ’But I can’t conceive what possessed him.  What does Rollo know of the mill business?’

‘Nothing at all, of course,’ said Prudentia.  ’Nor of any other business.  And he has shewed his ignorance—­did Arthur tell you, sir, how he has shewed it?’

‘In buying three mills to begin with,’ said Mr. Falkirk.  ’A modest man would have begun with one.’

’But my dear sir, that isn’t all.  What do you suppose, Miss Kennedy, was his first move?’