He visited the sick room regularly four times a day, and his behaviour there was that of a surgeon who was a stranger. The nurse was always present, and she received his orders in the same spirit, a coldness having sprung up between them that was very nearly resentment on his part, but always on hers the respect of nurse to the doctor who had the patient in charge. Several little things had made Neil satisfied that there was a quiet understanding between his brother and Elisia, trifles in themselves, the most important being Alison's manner when they met at meals. For there was always a quiet, self-satisfied look in the young man's eyes which indicated triumph, a look that roused a feeling of rage in his breast that he found it hard to control. Neil felt that if they were together a quarrel must ensue, an encounter the very thought of which made him shudder, and after visiting his father he would hurry back to the library, and try to forget everything in his books. It was with affairs in this condition that the day on which Sir Cheltnam was to dine there came. Neil had paid his customary morning visit, and paused at the door as he entered quietly, feeling almost lighthearted as he saw the look of returning vigour in his father's face. The old man was talking eagerly to the nurse, whose back was toward Neil, and there was a glow of satisfaction in the young surgeon's heart as he owned to himself that it was almost entirely Elisia's work, her devotion to his father, which had wrought this change. The group, too, at which he gazed pleased his eye: the invalid looking up, full of trust, in his graceful attendant's face; and the crushed-down love in Neil's breast began to revive again, as he thought that if he could win her his father would be ready to take her as a daughter to his heart. Then all came over black. The scene before him was clouded, and a sense of despairing misery filled his breast. They were talking about Alison, for his father mentioned the young man's name, and Elisia was evidently listening with attention to his words. Neil drew back quickly to hide his emotion, for he felt that he could not face them then; but the door clicked as he closed it, and before he was at the head of the stairs it was reopened by Nurse Elisia, who said quickly: "You need not go back, sir. Mr Elthorne is quite ready to see you." He turned once more, and as he gazed sharply in the nurse's face, he detected a faint flush in her generally pale cheeks and a suffused look in her eyes which strengthened him now in his belief. "Even my father is working against me," he thought to himself, as he passed on and took the chair by the side of the couch. "Yes, boy, my yes," said his patient with some display of animation, "I certainly am better this morning. Helpless as ever, of course--I am getting resigned to that. I feel more myself, and I shall soon be asking for my invalid chair or a carriage ride."