"My good man," cried the doctor, now thoroughly angry, "if you will be obstinate, and want her to have plenty of wrapping, go and fetch a lead coffin, and if she is to go in a carriage, send old McCray over to Marshton for Downing's hearse. It will be the most sensible thing you can do; for she will be dead before she gets home, or soon after. What the deuce is the use of your talking? Do you think I want her to stay here, or that I take two straws' worth of interest in your confounded affairs and squabbles? That child's life is the first consideration. I won't put up with it, Gernon--I won't indeed. How dare you interfere and want to meddle with things which you don't understand? That child's constitution is not a political matter for you to meddle with. Why, confound you, sir, here we have just got her into as lovely a perspiration as ever I saw upon a human subject! There's the threatened fever evaporating, as it were, from her system, and she sleeping gloriously, when you must come in with your family pride, and want to destroy all that I have done! I tell you what it is--" "My dear Challen," exclaimed Sir Murray, "I don't want to upset your arrangements. I only thought--" "Confound you, sir! how dare you to think, here, in a case of life and death? It's a piece of consequential, confounded, titled presumption-- that's what it is!" There was no mistaking, either, that Mr Challen was in a professional passion; for, as he said, "in matters of medicine he would give way to none," while being, certainly, a very clever practitioner, and well knowing that fact, he was somewhat ready to leap upon his own little hill, and to crow loudly. He had just descended, proud and elate with the state in which he had left his patient, when, as he mentally termed it, this impertinent interference on the part of Sir Murray made him erect all his hackles, and give battle most furiously for his rights. "There, there! Don't be angry, Challen," said the baronet. "I give way--I suppose I must bear it." "Bear it! Of course you must," said the doctor. "I tell you what it is, Sir Murray Gernon: I was within a point of throwing up the case, and leaving you in the hands of that offensive wholesale killer at Marshton--that new man. I was only restrained by a feeling of respect for the poor child. But I'll give up now, if you wish it." "My dear Challen," cried Sir Murray, "pray don't be so impetuous. I say no more. Have it all as you wish." "Say no more! Of course you will not!" grumbled the doctor, whose feathers were gradually subsiding to their natural smoothness. "Only," continued Sir Murray, "get her well, and let us have her home as soon as possible."