"Well, Jane, it is not so very formidable, after all." Her face grew hot, and her heart bounded on. "What does Dr. Arnold say? You know, Edgar, you promised me the truth without disguise." "You shall have it, Jane. Dr. Arnold's opinion of me is not unfavourable. That the lungs are to a certain extent affected, is indisputable, and he thinks they have been so for some time. But he sees nothing to indicate present danger to life. He believes that I may grow into an old man yet." Jane breathed freely. A word of earnest thanks went up from her heart. "With proper diet--he has given me certain rules for living--and pure air and sunshine, he considers that I have really little to fear. I told you, Jane, those insurance doctors make the worst of things." "Dr. Arnold, then, recommends the country?" observed Jane, paying no attention to the last remark. "Very strongly. Almost as strongly as Dr. Carrington." Jane lifted her eyes to her husband's face. "Dr. Carrington said, you know, that it was your only chance of life." "Not quite as bad as that, Jane," he returned, never supposing but he must himself have let the remark slip, and wondering how he came to do so. "What Dr. Carrington said was, that it was London _versus_ life." "It is the same thing, Edgar. And now, what is to be done? Of course we have no alternative; into the country we must go. The question is, where?" "Ay, that is the question," he answered. "Not only where, but what to do? I cannot drop down into a fresh place, and expect teaching to surround me at once, as if it had been waiting for me. But I have not time to talk now. Only fancy! it is half-past ten." Mr. Halliburton went out and Jane remained, fastened as it were to her chair. A hundred perplexing plans and schemes were already working in her brain. CHAPTER IX. SEEKING A HOME. Plans and schemes continued to work in Mrs. Halliburton's brain for days and days to come. Many and many an anxious consultation did she and her husband hold together--where should they go? What should they do? That it was necessary to do something, and speedily, events proved, independently of what had been said by the doctors. Before another month had passed over his head, Mr. Halliburton had become so much worse that he had to resign his post at King's College. But, to the hopeful minds of himself and Jane, the country change was to bring its remedy for all ills. They had grown to anticipate it with enthusiasm.