Then the great athletic brother came and separated them, remonstrating on the folly of the encounter at such a time. "How strange that I can remember it all so clearly now," muttered Chester. "Yes, he said that it was over a dispute. He would not acknowledge the real cause, and she did not speak. The scoundrel; he had been persecuting her with his addresses. I see now; that must have been the cause of the first trouble. Her brother was defending her from him." Then he recalled how the pair went away, and that the old housekeeper stayed, while Marion sat by the patient's side, avoiding his gaze, and as if repenting that she had given way to her feelings. A tray was brought in by Paddy, so that the housekeeper should not leave the room; and he stopped, talking good-temperedly enough, for some little time, and almost playing the part of servant to them, till they had all partaken scantily of the excellent meal; but he did not have another opportunity of speaking to Marion alone. Chester lay for some minutes trembling then, for he had been growing excited by the recollections, and a strange dread had come over him that he was about to lose his memory again; but the adventures of that night came back, and he recalled the coming of Paddy once more. This time he brought in a tray with coffee and four cups, which he filled and handed to each of those present. Yes, Chester remembered how the housekeeper refused, and Paddy spoke-- "Nonsense, old lady! take it; we can't stand on ceremony now, you may have to be up for hours." Then the old housekeeper took the cup, and the young man sugared his own coffee very liberally, and added plenty of cream. "Bad taste, doctor," he said good-humouredly, "but I like it sweet. So you feel now that poor Bob will be all right?" "Yes, I have no doubt of it." "Thanks to you," said the young man, and he advanced and took Chester's emptied cup, and then Marion's, soon after leaving the room with the tray. Chester recalled feeling a little drowsy after this, and then in a dreamy way seeing Marion with her brow resting upon the patient's pillow. No more--try how he would, Chester could recollect nothing else, but consideration filled up the gap. The elder brother, satisfied that the patient's life was saved, was desirous of ridding the house of the doctor's presence, the more so now that he had discovered the relations which had sprung up between him and Marion. "The scoundrel!" thought Chester. "That must have been it: he was pursuing her, and the brother was shot down in defending his sister."