to one in Mr. Vernon's condition----"

At this moment he was heard coming down the stairs. He walked firmly
though slowly, and it was evident to Nell that he was trying to look as
little like an invalid as possible. He had dressed himself with the
assistance of Dick, who walked behind with a pillow--which he made as if
to throw at Nell, who passed quickly through the hall as they
descended--and, though he looked pale and wan, Mr. Drake Vernon held
himself erect, like a soldier, and began to make light of his accident,
and succeeded in concealing any sign of the irritation which he felt
when Mrs. Lorton fluttered forward with the two sticks and the blanket.

"Thank you--thank you very much; but I don't need them. Put it on? No, I
think I'd better not. I'm quite warm." He looked round the carefully
closed room--Dick's complaining "phew!" was almost audible behind him.
"No, I won't have any brandy, thanks."

"Are you sure, quite sure, you do not feel faint? I know what it is to
rise from a sick bed for the first time, Mr. Vernon, and I can enter
into your feelings perfectly."

"Not at all--not at all; I mean that I'm not at all faint," he said
hastily; "and I'm quite strong, quite."

"Let me see you comfortably range," said Mrs. Lorton, who was persuaded
that she had hit upon a French word for "arranged." "Then I will get you
some beef tea. I have made it with my own hands."

"It's to be hoped not!" said Dick devoutly, as she fluttered out.
"Molly's beef tea is bad enough; but mamma's----What shall I do with the
pillow?"

"Well, you might swallow it, my dear boy," said Mr. Vernon, with a short
laugh. "Anything but put it under me. Good heavens! Any one would think
I was dying of consumption! But it is really very kind."

"All right; I'll take it upstairs again," said Dick cheerfully. But he
met Nell in the passage. There was the sound of a thud, a clear, low
voice expostulating, and a girl's footstep on the stairs, as Nell,
smoothing her hair, carried up the pillow.

When she came down Mrs. Lorton met her.

"Get some salt, Eleanor, and take it in to Mr. Vernon. And please say,
if he should ask for me, that I'm making him some calf's-foot jelly."

Nell took in the salt. Mr. Vernon rose from the sofa on which he had
seated himself, and bowed with a half-impatient, half-regretful air.

"I'm too ashamed for words," he said. "Why did you trouble? The beef tea
is all right."

"It's no trouble," said Nell. "Are yo