"Are you ill, Theo?" she asked, crossing to the bed. Theodore groaned. "I had a row with Basil and he threw me out of the window." Mara clapped her hands and her eyes sparkled. "How strong he is!" she said, which was not the sympathetic speech Theodore desired to hear. "Why did he fight you, Theo?" "I asked Patricia to marry me and Basil cut up rough." "No wonder!" said Mara disdainfully. "Why, any fool could have seen that Basil is in love with Patricia. He won't let anyone come near her. Oh!" she clapped her hands again and laughed gaily. "I should have liked to see you flying through the window." "Little beast, you are," snarled Theodore. "I'm all aches and pains, and my eye is black where he struck me, damn him!" "Would you like to see the doctor?" "No. It's not worth sending to Hendle for the doctor. Besides, he'd only chatter. I know these local gossips." "But the doctor is coming here. You had better let him examine you, Theo." Theodore, from the shadow of the curtains, stared at the delicate face of his cousin. "Why is the doctor coming?" "Oh, I quite forgot what I came up to tell you about," said Mara in a matter-of-fact tone. "Father has broken his leg." "Broken his leg!" With a groan of pain Theodore hoisted himself on one elbow. "How did he do that?" "The horse slipped coming down the winding road. Jarvis could not hold him up and they all fell over the bank. Father tried to get out, and broke his leg. But Jarvis and the horse are all right," ended Mara cheerfully. "I don't believe you are sorry," said Theodore, angered at her indifference. "I don't see what is the use of crying over spilt milk," replied the girl calmly. "If I cried my eyes out and tore my hair, it would do father no good." "You might at least pretend to be sorry for him," growled Dane, sinking back. "Well, I am. It's horrid to suffer pain. I'll tell him I'm sorry." "If you tell him in that voice he'll box your ears," said Theodore grimly. "You don't display much sorrow for me, young lady." "Because I don't feel any," said Mara coolly. "You brought it on yourself, for I told you that Basil loved Patricia. Besides, I don't like you." "I'm not a Japanese. Eh?" "No. You're not anything half so nice. Would you like Basil to come and see you?" she added maliciously. "I'm afraid Patricia can't, as she's attending to father." "Oh, get out of the room and tell the cook to send up my dinner to me here as soon as she can. When I'm up again, I'll tell Uncle George everything." "What do you mean?" "I shall tell him that Basil and that infernal girl are engaged, and he'll give her notice to quit. And I shall tell him that you intend to run away with that beastly little Japanese." "Oh, I haven't made up my mind what to do," said Mara, retreating to the door. "And if I decide to go with Akira, I shall do so, in spite of father or anyone else. But you won't tell, Theo; you're only too glad for me to go. You look like a great toad lying in bed."