The Woodlanders

His few patients seemed in his two months' absence to have dwindled

considerably in number, and no sooner had he returned than there came

to him from the Board of Guardians a complaint that a pauper had been

neglected by his substitute. In a fit of pride Fitzpiers resigned his

appointment as one of the surgeons to the union, which had been the

nucleus of his practice here.

At the end of a fortnight he came in-doors one evening to Grace more

briskly than usual. "They have written to me again about that practice

in Budmouth that I once negotiated for," he said to her. "The premium

asked is eight hundred pounds, and I think that between your father and

myself it ought to be raised. Then we can get away from this place

forever."

The question had been mooted between them before, and she was not

unprepared to consider it. They had not proceeded far with the

discussion when a knock came to the door, and in a minute Grammer ran

up to say that a message had arrived from Hintock House requesting Dr.

Fitzpiers to attend there at once. Mrs. Charmond had met with a slight

accident through the overturning of her carriage.

"This is something, anyhow," said Fitzpiers, rising with an interest

which he could not have defined. "I have had a presentiment that this

mysterious woman and I were to be better acquainted."

The latter words were murmured to himself alone.

"Good-night," said Grace, as soon as he was ready. "I shall be asleep,

probably, when you return."

"Good-night," he replied, inattentively, and went down-stairs. It was

the first time since their marriage that he had left her without a kiss.