And, thus easily settling his difficulties, Mr. Philip finished up by vowing to himself that he would never touch a card again. CHAPTER XI. A VISIT FROM MRS. CARLYON. Dr. Spreckley felt like an angry man. When he read Squire Denison's curt note--curt as to the part of his dismissal--his first impulse was to go up to the Hall and demand an explanation from his old friend and patient. He had been forced into a corner as it were, had been driven into telling a certain disagreeable truth, and now he was discarded for having done so, and a young practitioner of less experience and no note, was taken on in his place! It was very unjust. But Dr. Spreckley never did anything in a hurry. He put the Squire's note away, saying, "I'll sleep upon it." On the morrow he found that Dr. Jago was really in attendance on the Squire. Dr. Spreckley met him on his way thither in a hired one-horse fly, and received a gracious wave of the hand by way of greeting. "I'll not interfere," exploded the old Doctor in the bitterness of his heart; "I'll never darken Denison's doors again. Unless he sends for me," he added a minute later. "And for all the good _he_ can do him"--with a contemptuous glance after Jago--"that won't be long first." Meanwhile, at the Hall, the Squire was soothing and explaining the change to Ella, who regarded it with dismay. "I don't like Dr. Jago, Uncle Gilbert. And Dr. Spreckley was our friend of many years." "And why don't you like Dr. Jago, lassie?" "I don't know. There's something about him that repels me; it lies in his eyes, I think. I never spoke to him but once." "When you know more of him, you will like him better," returned the Squire. "I am not sure that _I_ like him much, personally. But if he cures me--what shall you say then? Come now!" "I would say then that I should like him for ever," replied Ella, laughing. "Well, child, he is hoping to do it. And I think he will." "Is this true, Uncle Gilbert?" The Squire patted her cheek. "What a disbelieving little girl it is! Jago is a wonderfully clever man, Ella; there's no doubt of that: he has studied in foreign schools, and he is about to try an entirely new kind of treatment upon me. He thinks it will turn up trumps, and so do I!" Ella drew a long, relieved breath. "Oh, I am so glad, dear uncle! I will make him welcome whenever he comes." "It is a month to-day since I was outside the house," went on the Squire. "Jago tells me that he shall get me out again in three or four days. The man is a man of power; I see it--I feel it. Give him opportunity, and he will make a great name for himself. We will go about again as we used to, Ella; you and I. Why not?" Ella's heart leaped; she believed the good news. Her uncle had seemed very poorly indeed lately, but she did not suspect he had any incurable malady, or that he was in any danger.