Doctor Luttrell's First Patient

speak knows also when

ng with a limp furry monkey, over which she was gurgling and cooing like a ba

fore his wife's eyes. "Don't you think we owe him a handsome apology for calling him a miser? it does not do to

at Mr. Gaythorn

? Oh, Marcus, how splendid of him to give all tha

to die this journey. Was it not liberal of the old fellow? but if you had onl

ed yesterday; and he would not let me thank him, he turned testy at once; by-the-bye, Livy, he wants you to go and see him; you have ev

he Vicar and Mrs. Tolman, oh, and one day Mrs. Tolman brought a friend. I remember how excited I was that afternoon, and that horrid little Sarah Jane had her sleeves rolled up to her elbows when she opened the door, and I dared not offer them

much amused by his wife's drolle

ory, or his winter garden, as he calls it. Why should you not go across this afternoon? Now I must be off to the Models;" and as Olivi

rne will take a fancy to him; he is rich and liberal, I am sure of that; he will pay Marcus well, and perhaps before long

lvaston House that afternoon the s

e observed, "I will tell Mrs. Crampton," and Olivia was

at Mr. Gaythorne evidently passed his days; the tables bore signs of his numerous occupations; one table seemed loaded with books of reference. A pile of neatly written manuscripts were on

rved oak book-cases were mostly bound in Russian calf. Olivia had only time to read

en wheeled into the conservatory; my master thinks a deal of his flowers-books and flowers-they are his main amusemen

ory had been thrown out at the back of the first floor landing and ran a

oriental quilt thrown over him; his dark crimson dressing-gown, and black velvet cap gave him a picturesque appearance; with his white peaked beard and moustac

ver him and took his hand. "Crampton, bring a chair for the lady. I have been wanting to thank you for your k

not help watching you cross the road; and then you slipped, and I felt you had hurt yourself. I fear f

nter, I need not trouble myself about that. Are you fond of flowers, Mrs. Luttrell?" as Olivia's eyes wandered to the sple

observed Olivia, almost in a tone of awe. "O

er words, and blushed a little when she saw

ncle Fergus died, and that is ever so many years ago, and she suffers such dreadful pain sometimes. The doctors say her complaint is incura

returned Mr. Gaythorne, with a cynical curl of his lip; but

eople are plucky in that sense. Aunt Madge has lost everything she cares for-husband and child and health; but she bears it all so beautifully, and makes the best of things. I could

arcus's comment when Olivia repeated this portion of her conversation. "Fancy entert

could see he was interested. He said little sharp sneering things at first, but afterwards he questioned me a good deal. Oh, we got on splendidly! He began asking me about ourselves, and if you had m

ll own it, Livy; you are honest enough even for that," and there was no denying that Marcus's v

hink he is a great talker, but he stroked that funny beard of his and nodded his head. Then when Mrs. Crampton came up he told her to bring coffee, and he made me stay and pour it out for him. There was such a lovely chased coffee-pot and cream-jug, and such delicious cakes, and when I said

no doubt I shall be civilly told that a second opinion will be desirable. My dear girl, don't you know that a modest reticence, a judicious silence, is sometimes the safest policy. A professional beggar may

ness, she felt she should never hold up her head again, but Marcus, wh

a rich man too-would be content with the services of an unknown practitioner? If he put himself in Mr. Gaythorne's place, he knew that he should be disposed to request Dr. Bevan to call. It was not only a sprained ankle. Mr. Gaythorne was an ailing man, and needed medical care. Marcus, who was clever and quick-witted, had already formed a pretty correct diagnosis of the case. "There is mental as

sted, and somehow he encouraged me to go on. If he had appeared bored or tired I should have stopped at once, but he seemed so curious about Aunt Madge, he ev

them, the other had always an eager protest or a smooth answer ready. When Olivia had been impatient and captious, Marcus had only laughed and coaxed

ow Flitch over and over again, but in reality their mutual respect and thoro

Olivia excessively. She must have vexed him, indeed, if he could do such a

opened and Marcus entered. His face wore a queer expression, and in each hand he held an exqu

ear-stained face: "Oh, you foolish little woman, you absurd child," but his hand r

exed you so. Somehow it is the one thing I cannot bea

that. Cheer up, Livy, I daresay it is all right, and I know you will be a model of discretion for the

e cried, ecstatically. "Is he not an old dear, Marcus? But

r," suggested her husband, sensibly, "it may

was pencilled in a shaky hand, and on the second

looked almost lovely in her excitement, and

rry up, as it is nearly time for me to go across," and then O