"Very bad," was the reply. "You will find coffee all ready on the side-table, doctor," said Claude; "and there is a spirit lamp and the stand and glasses. There are cigars on the shelf; but you will let me sit up too?" "To show that you have no confidence in your medical man." "Oh, no, no; but Mary and I might be of some use." "And of none at all to-morrow, my dears. You must both go to bed, and be ready to relieve me." "But is there anything else I can do to help you?" "Yes; what I say--go to bed at once." Claude hesitated a few moments, and then walked quickly to the side of the mattress, knelt down, kissed her father lovingly, and then rose. "Come, Mary," she said. "And you will ring the upstairs bell if there's the slightest need?" "Of course, of course. There, good-night; I shall ring punctually at two." He shook hands, and the two girls left the room unwillingly, and proceeded slowly upstairs. "Well lie down in your room, Mary," said Claude; "it is so much nearer the bell. Do you know, I feel so dreadfully low-spirited? It is as if a terrible shadow had come over the place, and--don't laugh at me--it seemed to grow darker when Doctor Asher came into the room." "What nonsense! Because he is all in black." "Do you think he is to be trusted, Mary?" "I don't know. I don't like him, and I never did. He is so sleek and smooth, and I hate him to call us `my dear' in that nasty, patronising, paternal sort of way." "Then let's sit up." "No, no. It would be absurd. I daresay we should feel the same about any other doctor." "I do hope he will take great care of poor papa," sighed Claude; and the door closed after them as they entered their room. If Doctor Asher was not going to take great care of Norman Gartram, it was very evident that he was going to take very great care of himself, for as soon as he was alone he struck a match, lit the spirit lamp, lifted the lid of the coffee pot, and found that it was still very hot, and then, removing a stopper in the spirit stand, he poured out into a cup a goodly portion of pale brandy. He had just restored the stopper to the spirit decanter, saying to himself, "Nice, thoughtful little girl!" when Gartram moaned and moved uneasily. The doctor crossed to him directly, went down on one knee, and felt to see that his patient's neck was well opened. "Almost a pity not to have had him undressed," he said to himself. "What's the matter with you--uncomfortable? Why, poor old boy," he continued, with a half laugh, as his hands busily felt round the sick man, "how absurd!" He had passed a hand through the opening in Gartram's shirt front, and after a little effort succeeded in unbuckling a cash belt which was round his patient's waist, drawing the whole out, and noting that on one side there was a pocket stuffed full and hard as he threw the belt carelessly on the table. "Nice wadge that for a man to lie on. There, old fellow, you'll be more comfortable now."