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104 BLACK SHEEP.illness ?He set himself now, seriously, to thetask of recalling the circumstances of his return.He had been met by Clare, who told liimMrs.Carruthers was not quite well. He had gonewith her to his wife's room. She was lying inher bed. He remembered that she looked paleancl ill. She was in her dressing-goyvn, butotheryvise dressed.Then she hacl not been so illthat morningas to have been unable to leave herbed. If anything had occurred, it must havetaken place after she haclrisen as usual. Besides,she hacl not been seriously ill until a clay or tyvolater — stay, until how many days?It was on themorning after Mr.Dalrymple's visit that he hadbeen summoned to his wife's room; he ancl Clarewere at breakfast together. Yes, to be sure, heremembered it all distinctly. Was the "shock"to be referred to that morning, then? Hacl itonly come in aid of previously threatening indisposition?These points Mr. Carruthers couldnot solve.He would question Clare on his return,andfind out yvhat she knew, orif she knewanything. In the mean time, he would notmention the matter at all, not even to his wife's-