He had plenty to do; time could not hang very heavy on his hands. In fact, he could hardly get time enough to himself wherein to dream of Norine and his future happiness. True, his heart fell a little at times over the delay she had imposed upon him; but he was a true knight, and too loyal to make complaint. The time would soon pass, and then she would be his forever. And, thinking of this, his step became as light and his presence as cheery as of yore. “Bless the man,” Mrs. Allan would exclaim, as he came bounding up the stairs, whistling cheerfully--“bless the man; how young he is getting, to be sure! And just because she has promised to marry him at last. Land knows, she made the poor fellow wait long enough.” And then the good lady would sigh a little as she thought of Lettie, and how different she would have had things in this world if she only had the power to arrange them. Conway had managed to get away from his patients for the Christmas week, and had spent that time with Norine in New York, resuming his old acquaintance with city life. It was a week of mingled bliss and excitement, and almost unfitted him for a return to his simple country life. “I think I will take your advice and locate here after we are married,” he said to Jim. “Norine should not return to that dull place after living here, and, of course, she cannot expect to move around much after she becomes the wife of a poor physician.” “Perhaps that poor physician won’t be so poor after he is married,” replied his friend. “Of course, you are coming here to live, whether you go into practice or not. But you need not think I am helping you capture my sister without expecting some recompense.” “Indeed? I had no idea of that. How am I to recompense you?” “Oh, that is all settled,” replied Jim seriously. “We are going to have a run through Europe. No, not a run,” he said, correcting himself, “but a saunter. Idle around there for a year or two perhaps,” with a careless wave of his hand. “And after that you and I are going into partnership.” “Into partnership? Are you going to study medicine while we are sauntering through Europe?” Jim laughed. “No; I don’t mean that exactly,” he said. “You will have the pill-giving in your own hands. Only I am paying out so much money now for medical attendance among my poor people, that I thought I could save money by going into partnership with my physician.” Conway was greatly amused. “I have no doubt you could,” he said, laughing heartily, “if you could only find one able to share the gains of your profitable business--and the losses.” “Well, that is why I am getting a physician for a brother-in-law,” retorted Jim coolly. Conway returned to his village home, but not until he had an understanding with Norine. “I do not wish to cut short your liberty,” he said fondly. “I will wait if it pleases you; but you must tell me how long I am to live without you. Remember, I have waited for many years now, and you must have pity on me.”