For a week Boots let him alone. He had a big, comfortable room, dressing-closet, and bath adjoining the suite occupied by his host; he was absolutely free to go and come, and for a week or ten days Boots scarcely laid eyes on him, except at breakfast, for Selwyn's visits to Sandy Hook became a daily routine except when a telegram arrived from Edgewater calling him there. But matters at Edgewater were beginning to be easier in one way for him. Alixe appeared to forget him for days at a time; she was less irritable, less restless and exacting. A sweet-tempered and childish docility made the care of her a simpler matter for the nurses and for him; her discontent had disappeared; she made fewer demands. She did ask for a sleigh to replace the phaeton, and Selwyn managed to get one for her; and Miss Casson, one of the nurses, wrote him how delighted Alixe had been, and how much good the sleighing was doing her. "Yesterday," continued the nurse in her letter, "there was a consultation here between Drs. Vail, Wesson, and Morrison--as you requested. They have not changed their opinions--indeed, they are convinced that there is no possible chance of the recovery you hoped for when you talked with Dr. Morrison. They all agree that Mrs. Ruthven is in excellent physical condition--young, strong, vigorous--and may live for years; may outlive us all. But there is nothing else to expect." The letter ran on: "I am enclosing the bills you desired to have sent you. Fuel is very expensive, as you will see. The items for fruits, too, seems unreasonably large, but grapes are two dollars a pound and fresh vegetables dreadfully expensive. "Mrs. Ruthven is comfortable and happy in the luxury provided. She is very sweet and docile with us all--and we are careful not to irritate her or to have anything intrude which might excite or cause the slightest shock to her. "Yesterday, standing at the window, she caught sight of a passing negro, and she turned to me like a flash and said: "'The Tenth Cavalry were there!' "She seemed rather excited for a moment--not unpleasantly--but when I ventured to ask her a question, she had quite forgotten it all. "I meant to thank you for sending me the revolver and cartridges. It seemed a silly request, but we are in a rather lonely place, and I think Miss Bond and I feel a little safer knowing that, in case of necessity, we have _something_ to frighten away any roaming intruder who might take it into his head to visit us. "One thing we must be careful about: yesterday Mrs. Ruthven had a doll on my bed, and I sat sewing by the window, not noticing what she was doing until I heard her pretty, pathetic little laugh. "And _what_ do you think she had done? She had discovered your revolver under my pillow, and she had tied her handkerchief around it, and was using it as a doll!