Dunn, in his natural voice, "and he 'll
like _you_."

Sir Maurice smiled, as though to say, "I could answer as much for
myself;" and then asked, "Have you known him long?"

"No; that is, not very long," said Dunn, hesitating, "nor very
intimately. Why do you ask?"

"Just because I want to get something,--at once too. There's a poor
fellow, a patient of mine now,--we were brother officers once,--in
a very sad way. Your friends of the Encumbered Court have Just been
selling him out, and by the shock they have so stunned him that his
brain has been attacked; at present it does not seem so formidable, but
it will end in softening, and all the rest of it. Now, if they 'd make
him something at once,--quickly it must be,--he could drop out on some
small retired allowance,--anything, in short, that would support him."

"But what is it to be?" asked Dunn.

"Whatever you like to make him. It can scarcely be a bishop, for he's
not in orders; nor a judge, for he was not called to the bar; but why
not a commissioner of something? You have them for all purposes and of
all degrees."

"You take a low estimate of commissionerships, I perceive," said Dunn,
smiling.

"They are row-boats, where two or three pull, and the rest only dip
their oars. But come, promise me you 'll look to this; take a note of
the name,--Paul Kellett a man of excellent family, and once with a large
landed property."

"I know him," said Dunn, with a peculiar significance.

"And know nothing to his disadvantage, I'm certain. He was a good
officer and a kind-hearted fellow, whom we all liked. And there he is
now," added he, after a pause, "with a charming girl--his daughter--and
I really don't believe they have a five-pound note in the world. You
must do this for me, Dunn. I 'm bent upon it!"

"I'll see what can be done about it. Anything like a job is always a
difficulty."

"And everything is a job here, Dunn, and no man knows better how to deal
with one." And so saying, and with a pleasant laugh, the gay-hearted
doctor hurried away, to carry hope, and some portion at least of his own
cheery nature, into many a darkened sick-room.

Though several names were announced with pressing entreaties for an
audience, Dunn would see no one. He continued to walk up and down the
room deep in thought, and seemed resolved that none should interrupt
him. There were events enough to occupy, cases enough to engage
him,--high questions of policy, deep matters of int