plain the
rights of it to them! Not that I should advise you to ask," concluded
Jan pointedly. "Miss Deborah, do you know the time?"

"It must be half-past eight," she repeated mechanically, her thoughts
buried in a reverie.

"And turned," said Jan. "I'd be glad of breakfast. I shall have the
gratis patients here."

"It shall be ready in two minutes," said Miss Deborah meekly. And she
went out of the surgery.

Presently young Cheese came leaping into it. "The breakfast's ready,"
cried he.

Jan stretched out his long arm, and pinned Master Cheese.

"What have you been saying to Miss Deb?" he asked. "Look here; who is
your master now?"

"You are, I suppose," said the young gentleman.

"Very well. You just bear that in mind; and don't go carrying tales
indoors of what Deerham says. Attend to your own business and leave Dr.
West's alone."

Master Cheese was considerably astonished. He had never heard such a
speech from easy Jan.

"I say, though, are you going to turn out a bashaw with three tails?"
asked he.

"Yes," replied Jan. "I have promised Dr. West to keep you in order, and
I shall do it."

CHAPTER XXIX.

AN INTERCEPTED JOURNEY.

Dr. West's was not the only departure from Deerham that was projected
for that day. The other was that of Lionel Verner. Fully recovered, he
had deemed it well to waste no more time. Lady Verner suggested that he
should remain in Deerham until the completion of the year; Lionel
replied that he had remained in it rather too long already, that he must
be up and doing. He was eager to be "up and doing," and his first step
towards it was the proceeding to London and engaging chambers. He fixed
upon the first day of November for his departure, unconscious that that
day had also been fixed upon by Dr. West for his. However, the doctor
was off long before Lionel was out of bed.

Lionel rose all excitement--all impulse to begin his journey, to be away
from Deerham. Somebody else rose with feelings less pleasurable; and
that was Lucy Tempest. Now that the real time of separation had come,
Lucy awoke to the state of her own feelings; to the fact, that the whole
world contained but one beloved face for her--that of Lionel Verner.

She awoke with no start, she saw nothing wrong in it, she did not ask
herself how it was to end, what the future was to be; any vision of
marrying Lionel, which might have flashed across the active brain of a
more sophisticated young lady, never