"Open the window, raise the blinds," said the young man, preparing with promptitude and earnestness to take the necessary remedies, "be not alarmed. It is not a dangerous attack." Maria quietly obeyed her lover, quite aware of the necessity of self-possession and presence of mind in a case like the present. In half an hour Mr. Walker was lying in a large, airy bedroom, and the young man had left, at the request of Maria, to attend a patient of her father's. It was late at night before Edward was able to take a moment's rest. What with his own patients, and those of his rival, he was overwhelmed with business; but at eleven o'clock he approached the bedside of the father of Maria, who, with her dear Emily now by her side, sat watching. "He sleeps soundly," said Maria in a low tone, as Edward entered. "Yes, and is doing well," replied Radstock. "I answer for his being up and stirring to-morrow, if he desires it." "But it will be better for him to rest some days," said Maria. "But, my dear Miss Walker," continued the young doctor, "what will his patients do?" "You can attend to them as you have done to-day," replied Maria. "My dear Miss Walker, you, who know me, could trust me with your father's patients; you know, that when he was able to go about, I would hand them all back to him without hesitation. But you must be aware, that for your father to discover me attending to his patients, would retard his recovery. If I do as you ask me, I must retire from C---- immediately on his convalescence." "No, sir," said Dr. Walker, in a faint voice, "I shall not be about for a month; after making me take to my bed, the least you can do is to attend to my patients." "If you wish it, sir--?" "I insist upon it; and to prevent any opposition, you can say we are going into partnership." "But--" said Edward. "If you want my daughter," continued Dr. Walker, gruffly, "you must do as I tell you. If you wish to be my son-in-law, you must be my partner, work like a horse, slave day and night, while I smoke my pipe and drink my grog." "My dear sir," exclaimed the young man, "you overwhelm me." "Dear papa!" said Maria. "Yes, dear papa!" muttered old Walker; "pretty girl you are; give a party to crush the interloper; faint when he gets his first patient; watch him from your bow-window like a cat watches a mouse, and then--marry him." "But, my dear papa, is not this the surest way to destroy the opposition?" said happy Maria. "Yes! because we can not crush him, we take him as a partner," grumbled old Walker; "never heard of such a thing; nice thing it is to have children who take part with your enemies." Nobody made any reply, and after a little more faint attempts at fault-finding, the old doctor fell asleep.