Doctor Luttrell's First Patient

  CHAPTER XIV.

  AN EVENTFUL DAY.

  "Forget not thy sins that thou mayest sorrow and repent."--_Petrarch_.

  When Olivia woke the next morning she was conscious of a curiousfeeling; an indefinable presentiment that she could not put into words."How I wish the day were over," she said to herself; and the thought ofher visit to Galvaston House, and Mr. Gaythorne's sharp, cynicalspeeches, quite oppressed her.

  "I hope he will be civil to Mr. Barton," she observed later on to herhusband. "Mr. Barton is very proud and touchy, and he will not submitto a course of cross-examination from a stranger. I am quite dreadingthe afternoon." But Marcus only laughed at her fears.

  "Barton can hold his own," was his reply. "He is a bit peppery, but heis not such a fool as to quarrel with his bread and butter. He knowsMr. Gaythorne is a connoisseur, and he will put up with a few sarcasticspeeches in the hope of future profits. Mr. Gaythorne could make himextremely useful; he hinted as much to me this morning. There are somepictures he wants rehung, and one or two that need cleaning andvarnishing. Barton has only got to prove without doubt that he and notGoddard painted that picture, and then they will get on all right. Youmust just hold your tongue, Livy, and leave them to fight it out." AndOlivia resolved to abide by this prudent advice.

  Robert Barton worked hard most of the morning, and then, as the sunshone brightly, he went out for a stroll before the early dinner.

  He came back looking so pale and tired that Olivia scolded him fortaking too long a walk.

  "I have not been far," he returned, sitting down in rather a wearymanner, "and it was so warm and pleasant in the sunshine that I thoughtit would do me good." Then he gave a short laugh, and said, abruptly,"The fact is, something has bowled me over--I have seen a ghost." ThenOlivia, who was clearing the table for the early dinner, stared at him.

  "Oh, of course, I am only speaking figuratively," he went on. "Isuppose it was really flesh and blood that I saw; but no ghost couldhave been more startling. I wonder"--speaking as though tohimself--"if my sight deceived me; but it was certainly a singularlikeness. If I had only had the courage to stop and speak; but when Irecollected myself the opportunity had gone--a passing omnibus hinderedme--and then I was too late."

  "Did you think it was someone you knew?"

  "Yes," very curtly--"a friend of my happier days." But he seemeddisinclined to say more. He was so silent and moody all dinner-timethat Dr. Luttrell looked at him in surprise more than once.

  "I suppose you will go straight to your lodgings from Galvaston House,"he said, presently; "it will never do for you to be out late, Barton."And Robert Barton assented to this.

  "I shall just fetch my bag and one or two things; I do not suppose weshall be long." And then he rose from the table and began putting uphis brushes, and then took up a book, which he read upside down, untilOlivia was ready to accompany him.

  As they crossed the road she said to him, gently:

  "I am sorry to see that you are a little out of spirits, and I amafraid this visit may be rather trying--an elderly invalid has allsorts of fads and cranks--but I hope you will be patient." Then RobertBarton smiled pleasantly.

  "Oh, yes, I am quite prepared to be regarded as a fraud; but I shallsoon prove that Goddard is the cheat in this case." And then they rangthe bell, and Phoebe, telling them that her master was still in thedining-room, ushered them into the library.

  "Pl