would be lying on the
sofa, with Shastri standing by, fanning her out of her nervous shock."

"But think of the first day I rode with my cousin, she surprised me so
when she picked up my whip, I thought then she had no nerves."

"Admitting such a statement to be true," replied the Doctor, "which we
are by nae means sure of, for the truth has no been logically proved, I
say, admitting that it be true, is it no' a gude thing for ye that your
cousin has nae nerrves, if ye are to gang aboot drapping things that ye
dar' na pick up again. In the sense that ye appear to desire your cousin
to hae nerrves, I dinna ken mysel' what use they wad be to a young
leddie wi' a speerit such as she has. I wad no' wish to see a lassie o'
her years hae nerrves; na, na, she wad no hae ony use for them;
Providence kens what is guide for us a', and will send her the nerrves
when she is fit to manage them."

"Still I don't see," said Cecil, "why she is not frightened sometimes.
Perhaps she may be, but if so she will never say so; I don't think a
girl ought to be so fearless."

"Perhaps ye dinna ken that young leddies o' her rank in England are all
educated in that way. The English hae this proverb amang them. 'A
well-born woman is ever brave.' Your cousin inherits her courage a long
way back, she is no mongrel born; I wish ye to see for yourself, Cecil,
that it is a gude thing to be brave. There are mony ways o' showing it
beside being a soldier or a sailor." And then the Doctor dropped his
Scotch accent and spoke slowly, "We ought to be brave enough to do our
duty to others," said he. "And now I will give you six reasons for being
brave for the sake of those we love. Firstly, brave that we may inspire
them, with courage when their hearts are weary. Secondly, brave that we
may be patient and gentle when their nerves demand rest. Thirdly brave
that we may be kind and diligent and loving when they are sick.
Fourthly, brave that we may not be morbid and gloomy and thus depress
them. Fifthly, brave that we may be faithful and true in all things.
Sixthly, brave that we may endure without murmuring to the end."

Long after the Doctor had left the room, Cecil was still there, leaning
his head against the side of the window and thinking over this
conversation. He possessed a generous disposition, and could not bear
the idea of having misjudged his cousin. But he was of a sensitive
temperament and not having a robust constitution, the girl's gaiety