“Don’t be afraid, sir—I sha’n’t. I’ll spend a thousand pounds over her, if necessary; and save your thanks at present, three weeks hence it may be another matter, or there may be only the bill to pay. Well, I must be off. Good night. Perhaps, Mrs. Bird, you will send out for the things the nurse wants,” and he went. “That seems a capable man,” said Mr. Levinger; “I like the look of him. And now, madam, you will need some cash in hand. I have brought twenty pounds with me, which I suppose will be enough to go on with, without touching Joan’s money,” and he placed that sum upon the table. “By the way, Mrs. Bird,” he added, “perhaps you will be good enough to send me a note or a telegram every day informing me of your patient’s progress—here is my address— also to keep an account of all sums expended, in which you can include an extra allowance of a pound a week to yourself, to compensate you for the trouble and anxiety to which this illness must put you.” “Thank you, sir,” she answered, courtesying—“I call that very liberal; though, to tell you the truth, I am so fond of Joan that I would not take a farthing if I could afford it. But, what between two deaf-and-dumb people to look after and her on my mind, it is no use pretending that I can get through as much dressmaking work as I ought; and so, as you seem well able to pay, I will put my pride in my pocket and the money along with it. Also I will keep you informed daily, as you ask.” “Two deaf-and-dumb people?” “Yes, sir,”—and she told him about her husband and Sally. “Really,” he said, when she had finished, surveying the frail little woman with admiration, “you seem to have more than your share of this world’s burden, and I respect you, madam, for the way in which you bear it.” “Not a bit, sir,” she answered cheerily; “while it pleases God to give me my health, I wouldn’t change places with the Queen of England and all her glory.” “I admire you still more, Mrs. Bird,” he answered, as he bowed himself out politely; “I wish that everybody could face their trials so cheerfully.” But within himself he said, “Poor Joan! no wonder she was wretched, shut up in this dreadful little house with deaf-and-dumb folk for companions. Well, I have done all I can for her now, but I wish that I had begun earlier. Oh! if I could have the last twenty years over again, things would be very different to-day.” Mrs. Bird was delighted with Mr. Levinger. Never before, as she explained presently with much gesticulation to Jim, had she met so charming, so handsome, so thoughtful, and so liberal an elderly gentleman. “But,” gesticulated Jim back, “if he is all this, why didn’t he look after Joan better before?”—a question that his wife felt herself unable to answer, beyond saying that Joan and all connected with her were “most mysterious, my dear, and quite beyond me.”