She was so far successful that she soon found herself tete-a-tete with the doctor in his own study.  She was no whit dismayed by the pair of human thigh-bones which lay close to his hand, and which, when he was talking in that den of his own, he was in the constant habit of handling with much energy; nor was she frightened out of her propriety even by the little child’s skull which grinned at her from off the chimney-piece.

‘Doctor,’ she said, as soon as the first complimentary greetings were over, speaking in her kindest and most would-be-confidential tone.  ’Doctor, I am still uneasy about that boy of mine, and I have thought it best to come and see you at once, and tell you freely what I think.’

The doctor bowed, and said that he was very sorry that she should have any cause for uneasiness about his young friend Frank.

’Indeed, I am very uneasy, doctor; and having, as I do have, such reliance on your prudence, and such perfect confidence in your friendship, I have thought it best to come and speak to you openly:’  thereupon the Lady Arabella paused, and the doctor bowed again.

’Nobody knows so well as you do the dreadful state of the squire’s affairs.’

‘Not so dreadful; not so very dreadful,’ said the doctor, mildly:  ’that is, as far as I know.’

’Yes they are, doctor; very dreadful; very dreadful indeed.  You know how much he owes to this young man:  I do not, for the squire never tells anything to me; but I know that it is a very large sum of money; enough to swamp the estate and ruin Frank.  Now I call that very dreadful.’

‘No, not ruin him, Lady Arabella; not ruin him, I hope.’

’However, I did not come to talk to you about that.  As I said before, I know nothing of the squire’s affairs, and, as a matter of course, I do not ask you to tell me.  But I am sure you will agree with me in this that, as a mother, I cannot but be interested about my only son,’ and Lady Arabella put her cambric handkerchief to her eyes.

‘Of course you are; of course you are,’ said the doctor; ’and, Lady Arabella, my opinion of Frank is such, that I feel sure that he will do well;’ and, in his energy, Dr Thorne brandished one of the thigh-bones almost in the lady’s face.

’I hope he will; I am sure I hope he will.  But, doctor, he has such dangers to contend with; he is so warm and impulsive that I fear his heart will bring him into trouble.  Now, you know, unless Frank marries money he is lost.’

The doctor made no answer to this last appeal, but as he sat and listened a slight frown came across his brow.

’He must marry money, doctor.  Now we have, you see, with your assistance, contrived to separate him from dear Mary—­’

’With my assistance, Lady Arabella!  I have given no assistance, nor have I meddled in the matter; nor will I.’

’Well, doctor, perhaps not meddled; but you agreed with me, you know, that the two young people had been imprudent.’