at home, then," replied Dr. Rawlins, whose tone was hardly
so sympathetic. "There is not the slightest need, however, for anyone
else to stay on her account. She is much better left alone, and I forbid
Mabel to come into her room until this evening."

"I should scarcely like to leave her," objected Lady Muriel anxiously.
"It is such a responsibility to have the charge of someone else's
daughter!"

"Install one of the housemaids as nurse, to see that she takes her
medicine. No, Lady Muriel! As your physician, I insist that you go out
for some fresh air. I have your health to consider as well as that of
your young guest. She'll be in no danger while you are away."

The medicine arrived shortly after the doctor's departure--much too
soon, in Aldred's opinion. It was a huge bottle, and was labelled: "Two
tablespoonfuls to be taken every two hours". Anything more absolutely
disgusting Aldred had never tasted; it seemed a combined mixture of
every disagreeable drug in the pharmacopoeia. Burke, an elderly
servant, had been placed on duty in the sick-room, and informed her
patient that she had received express orders from Dr. Rawlins himself
not to omit a single dose.

"He told me most particularly, miss, that you were to have it," she
announced, in reply to Aldred's violent objections. "He said it was most
important, and if I couldn't get you to take it I was to telephone for
him, and he'd come himself and make you!"

Aldred swallowed her nauseous draught at a gulp. She was not anxious to
receive another professional visit. She had gathered from the doctor's
manner that he diagnosed the nature of the case, though he did not care
to offend Lady Muriel by expounding his opinion. It was ill-natured of
him, the girl thought, to give her so severe a punishment; he could not
understand her motives, and he might have treated her with more
consideration. The one redeeming point of the medicine was that it
utterly spoilt her appetite, and took away all desire for food; and she
was enabled to show a genuine lack of interest in the beef-tea and jelly
that were sent up for her.

Another long, long day dragged itself out. Aldred was in the very lowest
of low spirits. She had ventured to beg for a book, but Burke promptly
replied that the doctor had forbidden either reading or conversation,
and had recommended her to keep perfectly quiet. So there was nothing
for it but to lie with half-closed eyes, listening to the everlasting
clic