out when Mr.
Coyne appeared, a little oily, bustling man, with a good-humored,
vulgar face, liable to a subservient pucker; he wore it directly at
sight of a fine woman, fine clothes, fine footmen, and fine horses.

"Mr. Coyne, I believe," said Lady Bassett, with a fascinating smile.

"At your service, madam."

"May I have a word in private with you, sir?"

"Certainly, madam."

"We have come a long way. May the horses be fed?"

"I am afraid," said the little man, apologetically, "I must ask you to
send them to the inn. It is close by."

"By all means." (To one of the outriders:) "You will wait here for
orders."

Mary Wells had been already instructed to wait in the hall and look out
sharp for Sir Charles's keeper and nurse, and tell them her ladyship
wanted to speak to them privately, and it would be money in their way.

Lady Bassett, closeted with Mr. Coyne, began first to congratulate
herself. "Mr. Bassett," said she, "is no friend of mine, but he has
done me a kindness in sending Sir Charles here, when he might have sent
him to some place where he might have been made worse instead of
better. Here, I conclude, gentlemen of your ability will soon cure his
trifling disorder, will you not?"

"I have good hopes, your ladyship; he is better to-day."

"Now I dare say you could tell me to a month when he will be cured."

"Oh, your ladyship exaggerates my skill too much."

"Three months?"

"That is a short time to give us; but your ladyship may rely on it we
will do our best."

"Will you? Then I have no fear of the result. Oh, by-the-by, Dr. Willis
wanted me to take a message to you, Mr. Coyne. He knows you by
reputation."

"Indeed! Really I was not aware that my humble--"

"Then you are better known than you in your modesty supposed. Let me
see: what was the message? Oh, it was a peculiarity in Sir Charles he
wished you to know. Dr. Willis has attended him from a boy, and he
wished me to tell you that morphia and other sedatives have some very
bad effects on him. I told Dr. Willis you would probably find that and
every thing else out without a hint from him or any one else."

"Yes; but I will make a note of it, for all that."

"That is very kind of you. It will flatter the doctor, the more so as
he has so high an opinion of you. But now, Mr. Coyne, I suppose if I am
very good, and promise to soothe him, and not excite him, I may see my
husband to-day?"

"Certainly, madam. You have an order from the