"My back," he groaned. "No feeling; Neil, my boy, you know and you will not speak. Don't, don't, tell me I am to be a cripple." "My dear father," cried Neil huskily, as he grasped his hand, "I dare not tell you that, for I am not sure. I have sent up for Sir Denton, and he will, I know, come by the earliest possible train. I hope that my fears are wrong." "Then they are right," said the sufferer with a groan. "I know now. Great Heavens!" He closed his eyes, and lay perfectly still, but the dew upon his contracted face told plainly enough of the mental agony he suffered. Aunt Anne drew back, and signed to Neil to come to her side. "Speak to him," she whispered. "Try and say something to comfort him, dear." "It would be folly," replied Neil sadly, "and only increase his irritation." "Oh, but, my dear!" she whispered. "Aunt, it was what I feared, and he has grasped the truth." "Neil!" "Wait till Sir Denton comes, and let him decide." He went back to the side of the couch, and sat down to watch and wait, ready to try and alleviate pain, and wipe the drops of agony from the sufferer's brow from time to time. And so an hour passed without the patient once unclosing his eyes, but it was plain that he did not sleep; a sharp twitch across the face now and again eliciting a faint groan. Aunt Anne had been out twice to speak to Isabel, who was weeping silently in the adjoining room. And so the dreary day crept on with a strange silence pervading the place where all, as a rule, was bustle and activity. Alison softly paced the hall hour after hour, waiting patiently for news of which Aunt Anne was the bearer. But she had little to communicate, and night was coming on fast when the sound of carriage wheels was heard, and a fly from the station drove up to the door, out of which stepped the famous London surgeon, who had arrived quite a couple of hours sooner than had been expected. Neil hurried out, leaving Aunt Anne to take his place while he welcomed the visitor. "Thank you," he said simply, as he grasped the old man's hand. "I came down at once. How is he?" Neil shook this head, and led the way at once into the room where Mr Elthorne lay with his eyes tightly closed; but he opened them at once as Sir Denton approached, showing that he had been keenly conscious of every sound. Aunt Anne rose from his side, bent down again to kiss him, and then hurried out of the room to hide her tears, leaving the great surgeon to decide upon what her brother's future was to be. Isabel and Alison were outside, and the three waited together anxiously for the great man's verdict, and all oppressed by the strange sensation produced by the sudden shock which had fallen upon the family. Everything seemed strange, and the very silence to be charged with portents. Alison strode up and down the room, while his sister crouched by Aunt Anne's side, holding her hands tightly, and starting at every sharp turn her brother made.