"Beg pardon, sir," said the man. "Mrs Barnett, sir, rang the bell. Master wants Mr Neil directly." "O Neil, he is worse," sobbed Isabel; and, as her brother hurried out of the room and across the hall, she followed, and they all entered together, just as Aunt Anne was coming to summon them, her ruddy face looking blanched and strange in places, while her eyes were wide open and she seemed to have been scared. "Pray come to him, my dear," she whispered. "He frightens me." "What is that?" said Mr Elthorne sharply. "What is the meaning of that whispering? Am I to lie here without any attention because I have had a bit of a fall? Here, Neil, quick. It is disgraceful. Anne--Isabel-- you can go. I want to talk to Neil." Isabel crept deprecatingly to the speaker's side and bent down to kiss him. He responded to her kiss, and then seemed annoyed with himself, as if he considered his conduct weak. "There, there," he cried. "Don't hang about me, my dear. You make me hot. There is nothing much the matter. Go and nurse up your aunt, and try to teach her to be sensible." "Oh, papa, dear!" "Now, don't you begin to be absurd too. I'm hurt and in pain. Let me ask you one question--Is it likely to do me good to have a foolish woman sitting close to me soaking her pocket handkerchief?" "Ralph, dear, I was only sympathetic," cried Aunt Anne. "I don't want sympathy," cried Mr Elthorne. "I want help. I want you to go now. Shut the door after them, Alison. You can stop. Now," he continued angrily, as soon as they were alone, and he fixed his eyes fiercely upon his elder son's, "you chose to be a doctor, sir, and I gave way unwillingly. I studied no expense, and you have gone on studying up your profession. But, once for all, if I am to take any of your assistance, I warn you that I will have none of the tricks of your trade played upon me." "My dear father, pray be calm," said Neil anxiously. "Did you hear what I said, sir? Be calm! Am I not calm? There you are bringing out all your medical stock in trade--medical cant to bear." Neil looked at him anxiously, and saw that he was wild in his manner, and that there was a curiously excited glare in his eyes which troubled him a good deal, and affected his words as he replied. "Now," cried his father, "tell me at once, what did Sir Denton say?" "That you must be kept perfectly quiet, sir, and be troubled by nothing exciting." "Why?" said Mr Elthorne sharply. "Did he say that my case was hopeless, and that I must die?" "No; decidedly not. Nothing of the kind, sir. He told me that you only needed proper nursing to recover." "To recover my health?" "Yes, sir." "And strength?" said Mr Elthorne, gazing at him searchingly. Neil was silent. "Why don't you speak, boy?" said the old man sternly. "No; you need not speak. A man is a physician or a fool at forty. I am long past forty, and not quite a fool, boys, as you both know. He told you that I should be a hopeless cripple."