The other stopped him with a gentle touch on the arm.
"Floriot, my friend," he said quietly, "sit down a moment and try to get hold of yourself."
The calm strong voice of the physician had the effect that he desired. Floriot's shoulders squared and his voice grew firm.
"You're right, Doctor. I will forget all about it! Do you know why she came back?" he added bitterly. "Her lover is dead!"
Rose opened the hall door.
"Monsieur Noel has come, sir!"
Floriot nodded.
"Show him in here, Rose," he said quietly and turned to Dr. Chennel. "Noel is an old and very dear friend whom I thought dead until this morning," he explained. "Poor chap! He and I——"
A well-set-up young man—apparently several years younger than Floriot, though his hair was more heavily grayed—entered the library with a springy step and cheery call of:
"Well, here I am! And very much alive!"