The words seemed to quiver in the silence of the sick chamber as Nurse Elisia uttered what, to the sufferer, sounded like a sentence, the more terrible as coming from one so grave, calm, and unimpassioned as the beautiful woman who stood before him; and as he lay, gazing wildly at the speaker, Neil saw his father's eyelids tremble and then slowly drop over the dilated eyes, while his worn, thin, wrinkled face was contracted. But he opened his eyes again, and clung tightly to the nurse's hand. "Yes," he said firmly, "that is the truth. Thank you, nurse, thank you. God bless you for what you have done for a poor helpless cripple." He drew her down toward him as he spoke till he could kiss her brow, and then, as she rose, he released her hand. "Thank you," he said quietly; "thank you. Yes, that is the truth. But I shall be out again, Neil, weak in body, but not imbecile. I shall still be the Squire, boy. I am the Squire. Now, tell me: why is Sir Denton coming down?" "Simply for me to ask his opinion, father," said Neil, seating himself again, and resisting the temptation to offer the nurse a chair. But before he could continue it seemed as if his thoughts had been communicated to the patient, who turned toward her. "Sit down, nurse," he said. "I am wearing you out with attending on me." "Indeed no, Mr Elthorne--" she began. "Sit down," he cried imperiously, and she quietly obeyed. "Now go on, Neil." "Of course I have studied your case very hard," said the son, "and I have certain ideas that I should like to test. I believe they would strengthen you, but I will not do anything without getting my opinions endorsed by a man of greater experience." "Humph! That's sensible; eh, nurse?" She bowed gravely. "So I wrote to Sir Denton at length, telling him what I had arrived at, and asking him to come down the first free day he had, or, I should say, the first time he had a few hours, to see you, and give me his advice." "Is that all?" said Mr Elthorne sharply. "Everything, father." "Humph! Well, that's right, my boy, quite right. Don't experiment upon me," he said, with a painful laugh. "After fighting through all this I can't afford to go backward. Keep the experiment for some poor hospital patient." The words jarred on Neil, and he glanced quickly at the nurse, to see that there was a pained look in her eyes, but it passed off as she saw that she was observed. "Well, when do you expect him?" said Mr Elthorne. "Almost directly, sir." "And why was I not told?" "For fear of agitating you, and setting you brooding over it. Besides, I was not sure when he would come down." "Humph! Well, don't treat me as if I were a child, boy. I can think if I can't walk. And I must be got out now. Has that chair come down?" "Yes."