ar; you may as well finish the job."

Thus informally, and without consulting anybody, Jeffreys was
constituted nurse-in-chief in the sick-chamber. The boy would tolerate
no discussion or protest on the part of the authorities. He must have
old Jeff. Bother a hospital nurse, bother the doctor, bother Scarfe,
bother everybody. He wanted Jeff; and if Jeff couldn't come he didn't
mean to take his medicine or do anything he ought to do. Walker had
better put up a chair-bed in the dressing-room for Jeff, and Jeff and he
(Percy) could have their grub together. Of course all the others could
come and see him, especially Raby--but he meant to have Jeff there for
good, and that was flat. Thus this selfish young invalid arranged for
his own pleasure, and upset all the sober arrangements of his friends.

Jeffreys delightedly accepted his new duty, and faced the jealousy of
Mrs Rimbolt and Scarfe unflinchingly. It was certainly an unfortunate
position for the fond mother; and little wonder if in her mind Jeffreys'
brave service should be blotted out in the offence of being preferred
before herself in the sick-chamber. She readily lent an ear to the
insinuations which Scarfe, also bitterly hurt, freely let out, and
persuaded herself miserably that her boy was in the hands of an
adventurer who had cajoled not only the boy but the father, and in short
personated the proverbial viper at the fireside.

So the fortnight passed. Percy turned the corner; and the time for the
departure of Mrs Scarfe and her son drew near.

Percy on the evening before they went had been less bright than usual,
and had alarmed Jeffreys by a slight return of feverishness. He had
just dropped off to sleep, and seemed about to settle quietly for the
night, when the door opened and Scarfe came in.

Jeffreys was there in an instant with his hand raised in warning.

"Hush, please," said he, "he has just gone over."

"Whom are you telling to hush? you canting brute!" said Scarfe, raising
his voice in a passion unusual for him. "Let me come in, do you hear?"

And he moved forward, as if to force his way into the room.

Jeffreys caught him by the two elbows and lifted him bodily out into the
landing, and then stood with his back to the door.

Scarfe, livid with rage, made no attempt to get back into the room.
Turning on his adversary, he said between his teeth--

"I shall remember this," and departed.

CHAPTER TWENTY.

A POLITE LETTER-WRI