Wife! She has been dead some two years, I think. I asked him if there was
any relative he would wish informed of his condition, and he said no; his
parents were not living, he had neither brother nor sister, and his
children were too young to be troubled about it."

"Poor fellow!" ejaculated Mr. Dinsmore, thinking of his own happier
lot--the sweet wife and daughter at Ion, the other daughter and son,
father, sisters, grandchildren and nephews who would flock about him in
tender solicitude, were he laid low by sickness or accident.

Leaving Donald in the city, he drove back to Ion full of sympathy for his
injured guest and admiration for his courage and fortitude; for he had
made no moan or complaint, though evidently suffering great pain and much
solicitude on account of the long prospective detention from official
duty.

The doctor's verdict was, a week or more in bed, probably six weeks before
the ankle could be used.

"You must get me up much sooner than that, doctor, if it be a possible
thing," Captain Raymond said most emphatically.

"I can only promise to do my best," was Arthur's response. "Nature must
have time for her work of recuperation."

Elsie met her father in the entrance hall on his return. "Ah, papa," she
said, looking up smilingly into his face, "I think you will have to
rescind your order."

"In regard to what?" he asked, stopping to lay a hand lightly on her
shoulder, while he smoothed her hair caressingly with the other.

"The week of entire rest you bade me take."

"No; there is to be no recall of that order."

"But our poor injured guest, father? injured in the noble effort to save
the life of another!"

"He shall have every care and attention without any assistance from you;
or Rose either; at least for the present."

"But, dear papa, to have you worn out and made ill would be worse than
anything else."

"That does not follow as an inevitable consequence, and you may safely
trust me to take excellent care of number one," he said, with playful look
and tone.

"Ah, papa, there is not the least use in your trying to make me believe
there is any selfishness in you!"

"No, I presume not; you have always been persistently blind to my many
imperfections. Well, daughter, you need not be troubled lest I should
waste too much strength on the poor captain. I do not imagine him to be an
exacting person, and we have enough efficient nurses among the servants to
do all the work that is needf