"Ha, Bonker! schon! I tvig! Goot!" he cried. "How shall ve do?"

"Leave it to me."

The Baron reflected, and his smile died away.

"Sopposing," he said, slowly, "zey find out? Is it vise? Is it straight?"

"They can't find out. They go the next morning, and what's to prevent your making a quick recovery and pluckily going down to Brierley Park as the interesting convalescent? She will know that you've made a dangerous journey on her account."

The Baron's face cleared again.

"Let us try!" he said; "anyzing is better zan my present state. Bot, be careful, Bonker!"

"I shall take the most minute precautions," replied Mr Bunker.

CHAPTER V.

The next morning the two conspirators breakfasted early. The Baron seemed a little nervous now that it came so near the venture, but his friend was as cheerful as a schoolboy, and his confident air soon put fresh courage into Rudolph.

Mr Bunker's bedroom opened out of their common sitting-room, and so he declared that in the afternoon the Baron must be laid up there.

"Keep your room all morning," he said, "and look as pale as you can. I shall make my room ready for you."

When the Baron had retired, he threw himself into a chair and gazed for a few minutes round his bedroom. Then he rang his bell, ordered the servant to make the bed immediately, and presently went out to do some shopping.

On the way he sent word to the Countess, telling her only that the Baron was indisposed, but that in spite of this misfortune he hoped he should have the pleasure of their company at tea. The rest of the morning he spent in his bedroom, prudently keeping out of the ladies' way.

When, after a substantial lunch which he insisted upon getting up to eat, the Baron was allowed to enter the sick-room, he uttered an exclamation of astonishment,-and indeed his surprise was natural. The room was as full of flowers as a conservatory; chairs, wardrobe, and fireplace were most artistically draped with art hangings; a plate filled with grapes, a large bottle labelled "Two table-spoonfuls every half hour," and a medicine-gla.s.s were placed conspicuously on a small table; and, most remarkable feature of all, Mr Bunker's bath filled with water and alive with goldfish stood by the side of the bed. A couple of canaries sang in a cage by the window, the half-drawn curtains only permitted the most delicate light to steal into the room, and in short the whole arrangement reflected the utmost credit on his ingenious friend.

The Baron was delighted, but a little puzzled.

"Vat for are zese fishes and ze canaries?" he asked.

"To show your love of nature."

"Vy so?"

"There is nothing that pleases a woman more."

"My friend, you zink of everyzing!" exclaimed the Baron, admiringly.

When four o'clock approached he drew a night-shirt over his other garments and got into bed. Mr Bunker at first was in favour of a complete change of attire, but on his friend's expostulating against such a thorough precaution, he admitted that it would be perhaps rather like the historic blacking of Oth.e.l.lo.

"Leave it all to me, my dear Baron," he said, rea.s.suringly, as he tucked him in; and with that he went into the other room and awaited the arrival of their guests.

They came punctually. The Countess was full of concern for the "dear Baron," while Lady Alicia, he could not help thinking, appeared unusually reserved. In fact, his quick eye soon divined that something was the matter.

"She has either been getting a lecture from the dowager or has found something out," he said to himself.

However, it seemed that if she had found anything out it could have nothing to do with the Baron's indisposition, for she displayed the most ingenuous sympathy, and, he thought, she even appeared to aim it pointedly at himself.

"So sudden!" exclaimed the Countess.

"It is rather sudden, but we'll hope it may pa.s.s as quickly as it came,"

said Mr Bunker, conveying a skilful impression of deep concern veiled by a cheerful manner.

"Tell me honestly, Mr Bunker, is it dangerous?" demanded the countess.

Mr Bunker hesitated, gave a half-hearted laugh, and replied, "Oh, dear, no! that is-at present, Lady Grillyer, we have really no reason to be alarmed."

"I am _so_ sorry," murmured Lady Alicia.

Her mother looked at her approvingly.

"Poor Baron!" she said, in a tone of the greatest commiseration.

"So far from home!" sighed Mr Bunker. "And yet so cheerful through it all," he added.

"What did you say was the matter?" asked the Countess.

Mr Bunker had thought it both wiser and more effective to maintain a little mystery round his friend's malady.

"The doctor hasn't yet given a decided opinion," he replied.

"Can't we do anything?" said Lady Alicia, softly.

Mr Bunker thought the guests were nearly worked up to the proper pitch of sympathy.

"Poor Rudolph!" he exclaimed. "It would cheer him immensely, I know, and ease my own anxiety as well, if you would venture in to see him for a few minutes. In such a case there is no sympathy so welcome as a woman's."

The Countess glanced at her daughter, and wavered for an instant between those proprieties for which she was a famous stickler and this admirable chance of completing the Baron's conquest.

"His relations are far away," said Mr Bunker, looking pensively out of the window.

"We might come in for a few minutes, Alicia?" suggested Lady Grillyer.

"Yes, mamma," replied Lady Alicia, with an alacrity that rather surprised their host.

With a pleasantly dejected air he ushered the ladies into the darkened sick-room. The Baron, striving to conceal his exultation under a rueful semblance, greeted them with a languid yet happy smile.

"Ah, Lady Grillyer, zis is kind indeed! And you, Lady Alicia, how can I zank you?"

"My daughter and I are much distressed, Baron, to find our host _hors de combat_," said the Countess, graciously.

"Just when you wanted to go away too!" added Lady Alicia, sympathetically.