mere feeling for the porter's recollection of this
promise.

He went home with this news, and told "the
girls" at dinner. "Poor fellow! And he made
his apologies to my little girl there in so gentlemanly
a way. I knew he was ill, though I don't
know now what he did. I think he was absent
or inattentive. Was that it, Alice?"

This was asked in perfect simplicity. But she
fell into confusion as perfect.

"And I," she said, warmly, " was so sharp
and pert to him. I know I was. Was I not,
Anne?"

The elder girl, working, answered quickly, and
without lifting her head, "I thought not. I
never remarked it."

"But he remarked it, you see," she said,
getting up, and going over to the fire. "He saw
it. Up-stairs I could have cut my tongue out.
And he was ill all the time."

"Poor fellow! yes," went on the captain;
"and if you saw the lonely place he is in!
Quite dreadful! I know I'd sooner be sent off
to an hospital! Better to have company about
one, you know. I declare I got quite a shiver
when I saw him in that lonely place, without a
soul to look after him."

The younger girl stopped in her walk, and
looking at her uncle with wistful, half-tearful
eyes, said, "Oh, uncle! how dreadful! Don't
you pity him?"

The captain looked at her back again. "Give
me the hand," he said (one of his pet phrases).
"Give me the hand, dear. You are a good
girl."

At that moment the maid of the house came
to the door, and said a man was below wanting
to see the captain.

"Who can he be?" said he. " What can he
want?"

And he lifted himself, as usual, by a sort of
leverage, by the aid of table and chair. These
little motions and gestures were all part of the
man, and necessary to the idea of him, in those
who loved him.

"Don't you know well?" the young girl said,
heartily. "Don't you see? It is about Mr.
Tillotson. He is ill; he is worse."

"God bless me I" said Captain Diamond,
bewildered at this instant.

"Tell him to come up here, Mary," she said,
decisively.

The porter came up. "I thought it right to
come to you, sir," he said, " as you told me"
(this " telling" was scarcely the sole reason);
"but he's very bad to-night. Had to take to
bed about an hour after you left. And, between
you and me, sir, I think it's something like
fever. I am not very wise about these things,
but it looks like it."

"And did you send for no doctor?" the young
girl said, excitedly.

"He wouldn't hear of that, miss. He bound
me up solemnly. He said he'd leave the house
if——"

"And did you mind him?" she said, almost
scornfully, and turning away from him. "I
suppose you would let him die to obey his
instructions."

The porter was sent away presently, gratified
with a glass of wine "after his walk."

"I am exceedingly obliged to you,"the captain
added, with great courtesy. "It was very kind
and considerate of you." For he seemed to
forget that there was another inducement in the
case besides kindness and consideration.

"Now, uncle," said she, "what is to be
done?"

"Give me the hand," said the captain. "Quite
right. What is to be done? We must bring
the poor fellow a doctor. That is the first thing.
I'll go for Gilpin myself."

And he got up and went to his room, whence
he came limping with the grey gloves and
bishop's hat. On the landing a figure met him,
and said, softly and confidentially, "Nunkey,
may I go with you in the cab, merely just for
company?"

"Who's this?" said the captain. "Ah, Alice.
To be sure, and glad to have you with me. But
won't you be afraid? It's a rough night."

"Thanks, my dear nunkey. I'll fetch my
bonnet in a second."

She was not indeed fifty seconds "getting on"
her bonnet, and took her uncle's arm down-stairs.

"Good Alice," he said, in the cab. "Give
me the hand. You are a girl of spirit; and I
don't wonder at your liking poor Tillotson. God
knows I feel for him."

They went for Dr. Gilpin first, but found that
he was out. He was to be in in about half an
hour for the night, and the captain left a message
for him. Then they went off to Duke's Chambers.

"I can't leave you in that cold cab, dear,"
said the captain, limping down the step. "And
I should be afraid," he added, doubtfully.

"l am not afraid," she said, springing out.
"There is no infection, dear uncle. I can wait
below."

"Ah, yes," he said. " That's just it."

And in the porter's room, where, however,
there was a light but no fire, she stayed while
her uncle went up.

He found his friend in bed inside another
room, tossing miserably. It was indeed a fever.
His eyes were fiery, and he hardly knew the
captain.

"He's worse by far than when I left him,"
said the porter.

The captain had some knowledge of elementary
physic, and some old-fashioned remedies as
to drinks and such-like, and was presently limping
round the room, trying to look up anything
that would be useful for his composition. He
did not find much. "I wish Gilpin would
come. His head isn't high enough, poor fellow,"
he said, with deep compassion. " We might
get a cushion out of the next room."

In the next room, which was half dark, a
figure stole up to him. " God bless me," said
uncle Tom, "what's this?"

"Oh, uncle, it was so cold and lonely below.
And how is he? Is it so bad?"