"No," Josephine replied quickly, observing that the doctor had caught sight of them but had turned his face sharply away and was making straight for the front door; "I don't think he wants to talk to us now—he seems in a hurry."
"He certainly does," agreed May; "he wants to see Uncle John about something, I expect."
This proved to be the case, for when they entered the house a few minutes later they heard the doctor's voice in the study. He remained nearly half an hour with Mr. Basset, leaving shortly before supper-time.
"What did Dr. Farrant want?" Miss Basset asked her brother during supper. "You found you couldn't persuade him to stay to supper, I suppose?"
"No," Mr. Basset said, answering the latter question and ignoring the first.
"Uncle John, did you tell him I'd heard from Donald to-day?" inquired May.
Mr. Basset shook his head. "Donald was not mentioned, my dear," he replied.
It was evident to every one that he was in a very pre-occupied mood. His sister remarked that he ate very little; but when she asked him if he did not feel well he assured her that he had never been better in his life, only he had no appetite.
"Neither has Josephine," sighed Miss Basset; "I know why it is—because she's not heard from her father. Oh, I do hope we shall hear from him to-morrow! Anxiety and suspense are so wearing! Dear me, oh, dear me!"
Josephine went to bed that night very heavyhearted. She lay awake some time thinking of her father and praying for him. He had not told her, but she knew from what she had read in the newspapers, that he had had a great many hardships and much sorrow to endure of late, for his regiment had suffered badly. Very earnestly, with all the fervour of her anxious heart, she prayed—