essentials
he had changed so little since the days when as a youth of twenty
spending his vacations at the rectory he used to give the lonely girl
at the manor so much pleasure by coming up to her school-room tea; and
when it proved possible to dispose of her governess's chaperonage and
be by themselves, what delightful times they used to have, sitting on
the hearth-rug, roasting chestnuts and discussing the many subjects
which were of mutual interest. Jane could still remember the painful
pleasure of turning hot chestnuts on the bars with her fingers, and how
she hastened to do them herself, lest he should be burned. She had
always secretly liked and admired his hands, with the brown thin
fingers, so delicate in their touch and yet full of such gentle
strength. She used to love watching them while he sharpened her pencils
or drew wonderful diagrams in her exercise books; thinking how in years
to come, when he performed important operations, human lives would
depend upon their skill and dexterity. In those early years he had
seemed so much older than she. And then came the time when she shot up
rapidly into young womanhood and their eyes were on a level and their
ages seemed the same. Then, as the years went on, Jane began to feel
older than he, and took to calling him "Boy" to emphasise this fact.
And then came--Flower;--and complications. And Jane had to see his face
grow thin and worn, and his hair whiten on the temples. And she yearned
over him, yet dared not offer sympathy. At last things came right for
the doctor, and all the highest good seemed his; in his profession; in
his standing among men; and, above all, in his heart life, which Flower
had always held between her two sweet hands. And Jane rejoiced, but
felt still more lonely now she had no companion in loneliness. And
still their friendship held, with Flower admitted as a third--a
wistful, grateful third, anxious to learn from the woman whose
friendship meant so much to her husband, how to succeed where she had
hitherto failed. And Jane's faithful heart was generous and loyal to
both, though in sight of their perfect happiness her loneliness grew.

And now, in her own hour of need, it had to be Deryck only; and the
doctor knew this, and had arranged accordingly; for at last his chance
had come, to repay the faithful devotion of a lifetime. The
conversation of that afternoon would be the supreme test of their
friendship. And so, with a specialist's apprecia