emen leave to
their lawyers, and seek not to mix themselves up with."

"The strong purse is the sinew of war," muttered the inexorable doctor;
"and they tell me he is one of the wealthiest men in England."

"He may be, for aught I know or care."

"Well, well," resumed the other, after a long deliberative pause,
"there's no knowing how this little adventure may turn out. If your
son saved the girl's life, I scarcely think he could press you so hard
about--"

"Take care, sir," broke in O'Donoghue, and with the words he seized the
doctor's wrist in his strong grasp; "take care how you venture to speak
of affairs which no wise concern you;" then, seeing the terrified look
his speech called up, he added--"I have been very irritable latterly,
and never desire to talk on these subjects; so, if you please, we'll
change the topic."

The door was cautiously opened at this moment, and Kerry presented
himself, with a request from Sir Archibald, that, as soon as Doctor
Roach found it convenient, he would be glad to see him in the sick-room.

"I am ready now," said the doctor, rising from his chair, and not by
any means sorry at the opportunity of escaping a _tete-a-tete_ he had
contrived to render so unpalatable to both parties. As he mounted the
stairs, he continued in broken phrases to inveigh against the house
and the host in a half soliloquy--"A tumble-down old barrack it is--not
fifty shillings worth of furniture under the roof--the ducks were as
tough as soaked parchment--and where's the fee to come from--I wish I
knew that--unless I take one of these old devils instead of it;" and
he touched the frame of a large, damp, discoloured portrait of some
long-buried ancestor, several of which figured on the walls of the
stair-case.

"The boy is worse--far worse," whispered a low, but distinct voice
beside him. "His head is now all astray--he knows no one."

Doctor Roach seemed vexed at the ceremony of salutation being forgotten
in Sir Archibald's eagerness about the youth, and drily answered--

"I have the honour to see you well, sir, I hope."

"There is one here very far from well," resumed Sir Archy, neither
caring for, nor considering the speech. "We have lost too much time
already--I trust ye may na be too late now."

The doctor made no reply, but rudely taking the candle from his hand,
walked towards the bed--

"Ay, ay," muttered he, as he beheld the lustrous eyes and widespread
pupils--the rose-red cheek, and dr