rse we can say nothing."

"Well, Livy, your life is not exactly stagnant just now."

"No, indeed; but, oh, there is one thing I forgot to tell you. Marcus
has another patient,--that is number five. Actually the surgery bell
rang twice yesterday."

Mrs. Broderick clapped her hands. Then she said, in a teasing voice,
"Are you not glad that you kept Martha?" and Olivia laughed.

"Why, Aunt Madge," she said in an amused tone, "Marcus actually
proposed this morning that we should get an older and more capable
servant, but I told him I would rather work twice as hard than part
with Martha; she is such a good, willing little soul."

"Of course, as long as Mr. Alwyn keeps his room we shall have plenty of
running about, and Dot is cutting some more teeth, and is rather
fretful, so our hands are full; but the only thing that troubles me is
that I see so little of Marcus. He is out most of the evening, either
at Galvaston House or in Brunswick Place. Alas, things are no better
there, and if this influenza epidemic comes on, as the doctors predict,
he will have a busy spring."

"No doubt, but as we have only to live one day at a time, we will not
trouble our heads about that. Well, you have given me food enough for
some days. I shall send Deb round to-morrow evening to inquire after
the invalids, but you must not come again until you are more at
leisure. Teething troubles and the care of a sick man are enough for
any woman."

"Dear Aunt Madge!" exclaimed Olivia, affectionately. "If I could only
be as unselfish as you. I do believe you never think of yourself at
all."

"Nonsense," returned Mrs. Broderick, "I am an old bundle of
selfishness. Well, I shall be thinking of those two poor things. My
heart aches for that young man, but I pity his father, too. I was
reading about the deaf man with an impediment in his speech this
morning; it is the lesson for to-day, you know, and I could not help
pondering for some time on those words, 'Jesus took him apart from the
multitude.' Just as though quiet and stillness were needed for the
healing. I think that is the lesson that sickness teaches us; the poor
sufferer is led apart to wait for the word of healing; sometimes he
waits long, but the time has not been lost. 'Lord, it is good for us
to be here;' I think some of us will say that when our painful
sojourning at the Mount of Suffering is over. Yes, it is good for us
to have drunk of His cup without complaining."