224 The Real Charlotte. 



"I declare I think this hot summer suits me. I feel 

 stronger than I've done this good while back, thank God. 

 Roddy was saying this morning he'd have to put me and 

 Muffy on banting, we'd both put up so much flesh." 



The turkey-hen looked so pleased as she recalled this 

 conjugal endearment that Charlotte could not resist the 

 pleasure of taking her down a peg or two. 



" I think he's quite right," she said with a laugh ; " no- 

 thing ages ye like fat, and no man likes to see his wife 

 turning into an old woman." 



Poor Mrs. Lambert took the snub meekly, as was her 

 wont. "Well, anyway, it's a comfort to feel a little stronger, 

 Charlotte; isn't it what they say, Maugh and grow fat.'" 

 She took off her dolman and rang the bell for tea. *' Tell 

 me, Charlotte," she went on^ " did you hear anything about 

 that poor Miss Duffy ? " 



" I was up at the infirmary this morning asking the Sister 

 about her. It was Rattray himself found her lying on the 

 road, and brought her in ; he says it's inflammation of the 

 brain, and if she pulls through she'll not be good for any- 

 tiling afterwards." 



" Oh, my, my ! " said Mrs. Lambert sympathetically. 

 " And to think of her being at our gate lodge that very day! 

 Mary Holloran said she had that dying look in her face you 

 couldn't mistake." 



" And no wonder, when you think of the way she lived," 

 said Charlotte angrily ; " starving there in Gurthnamuckla 

 like a rat that'd rather die in his hole than come out of it." 



" Well, she's out of it now, poor thing," ventured Mrs. 

 Lambert. 



** She is ! and I think she'll stay out of it. She'll never 

 be right in her head again, and her things'U have to be sold 

 to support her and pay some one to look after her, and if 

 they don't fetch that much she'll have to go into the county 

 asylum. I wanted to talk to Roddy about that very thing," 

 went on Charlotte, irritation showing itself in her voice ; 

 "but I suppose he's going riding or boating or amusing 

 himself somehow, as usual." 



" No, he's not ! " replied Mrs. Lambert, with just a shade 

 of triumph. " He's taken a long walk by himself. He 

 thought perhaps he'd better look .after his figure as well as 



