"But the carriage is waiting, Challen," said Sir Murray. "I came over in the close carriage on purpose. Surely if she is lifted in and driven slowly it cannot hurt her." "Now look here, Gernon," said the doctor, sturdily, "I brought that child into the world, and saved her life, sir--saved her life, when not half-a-dozen doctors in England could have done it. I've been your-- Capital glass of port, by Jove! Try one. You won't? Very good; I will. Let's see--what was I saying? Ah! I've been your family medical attendant ever since I began to practise, and save and except such times as you chose to go abroad and put yourself into the hands of foreign poisoners, I've had your welfare at heart. Now, I'm a crotchety old fellow--better try a glass of Norton's port: I'll swear it's '20 vintage--crotchety old fellow--over professional matters; and if the Queen herself came meddling in a sick-room where I was engaged, I'd order her out as soon as look at her: ergo, I'm not at all afraid of a baronet." Sir Murray made a gesture of impatience. "There, confound you, sir," cried the doctor, testily, "I don't care for your fuming--I'm not going to give way. Now, look here, Gernon: you ought to have more confidence in me, and in what I say. I don't want to boast; but I saved your life; I saved your wife's life; and, as aforesaid, I saved the life of that child up-stairs when it was a tiny spark that a breath would have destroyed. I'm proud of it, you see. Now you want to kill her, because she is here in the house of the people you most dislike in the world--out-and-out good sort of people, and good friends of mine, all the same. Can't help it--I must speak plain. This is a case where plain speaking is necessary, so you need not fling about. You must sink all these family quarrels, and thank Heaven that the poor child was brought here, where there was a clever, sensible woman like Mrs Norton to take the first steps towards warding off fever." "But, surely, Challen," exclaimed Sir Murray, deprecatingly now, "with plenty of wrapping, and the carriage!"