e in prayer for
his recovery, if consistent with the will of God," said Captain
Raymond.

"And so we will," said Cousin Ronald. "I feel assured that no one of
us will refuse or neglect the performance of that duty."

"And we can plead the promise, 'If two of you shall agree on earth as
touching anything that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my
Father which is in heaven,'" said Mrs. Dinsmore. "So I have strong
hope that dear Dick will be spared to us. He is certainly a much loved
and very useful man."

"And Maud must be relieved as far as possible from other cares,"
remarked Mrs. Travilla. "I shall at once invite my brother and his
family here. There is room enough, especially as my two sons are there
and will be nearly, if not all, the time while Dick is so ill."

"No, cousin," said Chester, "thank you very much, but Cousin Sue is
making herself very useful and could not well be spared. She has
undertaken the housekeeping, leaving Maud to devote herself entirely
to Dick."

"Oh, that is good and kind in her," was the quick response from
several voices.

"And very fortunate it is that she happened to be there, ready for the
undertaking," said Mrs. Rose Croly; "and if Dick had to have that
accident he couldn't have found a better time for it than now, while
there are three good doctors at hand to attend to him."

"True enough," assented Chester. "Things are never so bad but they
might be worse."

Days of anxiety and suspense followed, during which Dr. Percival's
life seemed trembling in the balance. Drs. Harold and Herbert scarcely
left the house and spent much of their time in the sick room, while
Dr. Conly made several visits every day, sometimes remaining for
hours, and the rest of the relatives and near friends came and went
with kind offers and inquiries, doing all in their power to show
sympathy, and give help, while carefully avoiding unwelcome intrusion
or disturbance of the quiet that brooded over Torriswood and seemed so
essential under the circumstances. Nothing was neglected that could be
done for the restoration of the loved sufferer, and no one of the many
relatives and connections there felt willing to leave the neighborhood
while his life hung in the balance.

Chester spent a part of each day with his distressed and anxious
sister, and a part with his betrothed, from whom he felt very
unwilling to absent himself for even one whole day.

The young people and some of the older ones m