"No, no, no," sobbed the old lady. "I'm only a poor, worn-out, useless creature, and the sooner the grave closes over me the better." She was out at the foot of the stairs, leaning upon her niece's arm, before she had finished her sentence, and Isabel Lee, half troubled, half amused, was following through the door, which the doctor kept open, but he let it go and held out his hands, as the girl looked tenderly up a him. Then the door swung to, and the next moment she was clasped in his arms. "My darling!" he whispered; and then in the silence which followed they could hear faintly the voice of the old lady on the stairs. "I'm so sorry, Bel dear," said the doctor tenderly. "She has one of her fits on to-day. Poor old soul, she has had a great deal of trouble." "I know, Fred dear. I don't mind." "But it's rather hard on our visitor, whom we want to entertain--queer entertainment." "Don't talk about it, Fred. Let me go now." "Without any balm for the suffering, deceitful wretch? Just one." "Well, only one. Come up soon." It was, as the doctor said, a very tiny one, and then the girl had struggled free and hurried up to the drawing-room, while the giver went back to his seat. "Bless her! I honestly believe she's the most amiable girl in the world," said the doctor; as he sat sipping his claret. "Only a fortnight now, and then no more going away. I do love her with all my heart, and I say devoutly, thank God for giving me the chance of possessing so good a partner for life." He sat sipping thoughtfully. "Bother the old woman!" he cried suddenly. "To break out like that. Suspicious as ever; but Bel took it the right way. I didn't know I was such a Lothario. How absurd! Now about to-morrow's engagements. Let's see." He took out a memorandum book, wrinkled up his forehead, and the next minute was deep in thought over first one and then another of the serious cases in which he had to do battle with the grim Shade, ending by getting up and pacing the room, forgetful of all social ties and the presence of his betrothed overhead. "Oh, Fred!" brought him back to the present. "Eh? What's the matter, dear?" "Matter? Well, if ever I have a lover I hope he'll be different to you. There's auntie fast asleep, and poor Isabel sitting watching the door with the tears in her eyes." "Tut-tut-tut!" ejaculated the brother. "Yes; too bad, but I have a very serious case on hand, dear, and I am obliged to give it a great deal of careful consideration." "You're always like that now, Fred," said his sister, pettishly. "I hope you don't mean to see patients on your wedding-day." "Oh, hang it! no, Laury. Here, I'll come up and have some music; but you needn't be so sharp, little one. Gentlemen are allowed to sit over their wine, and you haven't been gone five minutes." "Monster!" cried Laura. "It's over half an hour!" "Oh!" ejaculated the doctor, "get out of the way."