y laughed. "Did I look fierce, Jan? I suppose I was thinking of the
drugs. I'd never, never be a surgeon, of all things in the world."

"If everybody was of your mind, Miss Lucy, how would people get
doctored?"

"Very true," answered Lucy. "But I don't envy them."

"The doctors or the people?" asked Jan.

"I meant the doctors. But I envy the patients less," glancing
involuntarily towards Lionel as she spoke.

Jan glanced at him too. "Lionel, I'll bring you round some better stuff
than this," said he. "What are you eating?"

"Nothing," put in Decima. "Dr. West keeps him upon arrowroot and
beef-tea, and such things."

"Slops," said Jan contemptuously. "Have a fowl cooked every day, Lionel,
and eat it all, if you like, bones and all; or a mutton--chop or two; or
some good eels. And have the window open and sit at it; don't lounge on
that sofa, fancying you can't leave it; and to-morrow or the next day,
borrow Mrs. Verner's carriage----"

"No, thank you," interposed Lionel.

"Have a fly, then," composedly went on Jan. "Rouse yourself, and eat and
drink, and go into the air, and you'll soon be as well as I am. It's the
stewing and fretting indoors, fancying themselves ill, that keeps folks
back."

Something like a sickly smile crossed Lionel's wan lips. "Do you
remember how you offended your mother, Jan, by telling her she only
wanted to rouse herself?"

"Well," said Jan, "it was the truth. West keeps his patients
dilly-dallying on, when he might have them well in no time. If he says
anything about them to me, I always tell him so; otherwise I don't
interfere; it's no business of mine. But you are my brother, you know."

"Don't quarrel with West on my account, Jan. Only settle it amicably
between you, what I am to do, and what I am to take. I don't care."

"Quarrel!" said Jan. "You never knew me to quarrel in your life. West
can come and see you as usual, and charge you, if you please; and you
can just pour his physic down the sink. I'll send you some bark: but
it's not of much consequence whether you take it or not; it's good
kitchen physic you want now. Is there anything on your mind that's
keeping you back?" added plain Jan.

A streak of scarlet rose to Lionel's white cheek.

"Anything on my mind, Jan! I do not understand you."

"Look here," said Jan, "if there is nothing, you ought to be better than
this by now, in spite of old West. What you have got to do is to rouse
yourself, and believe you are we