eat thing."

"And Mr. Copley minded your orders?"

"That is understood."

"Well!" ejaculated Mrs. Copley. "He never would do the least thing I or
Dolly wanted him to do; not the least thing. _He_ has been giving the
orders all along; and as fidgetty as ever he could be. Fidgetty and
nervous. Wasn't he fidgetty?"

"No; very docile and peaceable."

"You must be a wonderful man," said Mrs. Copley.

"Habit," said Mr. Shubrick. "As I said, it is a great thing."

"He has been having his own way all along," said Mrs. Copley; "and
ordering us about, and doing just the things he ought not to do. He was
always that way."

"Not the proper way for a sick room," said Mr. Shubrick. "You had
better install me as head nurse."

How Dolly wished they could do that! As she saw him there at the table,
with his quiet air of efficiency and strength, Dolly thought what a
treasure he was in a sick house; how strong she felt while she knew he
was near. Perhaps Mrs. Copley's thoughts took the same turn; she sighed
a little as she spoke.

"You have been very kind, Mr. Shubrick. We shall never forget it. You
have been a great help. If Mr. Copley would only get better now"----

"I am going to see him better before I go."

"We could not ask any _more_ help of you."

"You need not," and Mr. Shubrick smiled. "Mr. Copley has done me the
honour to ask me."

"Mr. Copley has asked you!" repeated Mrs. Copley in bewilderment.
"What?"

"Asked me to stay."

"To stay and nurse him?"

"Yes. And I said I would. You cannot turn me away after that."

"But you have your own business in England," Dolly here put in.

"This is it, I think."

"Your own pleasure, then. You did not come to England for this."

"It seems I did," he said. "I am off duty, Miss Dolly, I told you; here
on furlough, to do what I like; and there is nothing else at present
that I should like half so well."

Dolly scored another private mark here to the account of Mr. Shubrick's
goodness; and in the ease which suddenly came to her own mind, felt as
if her head were growing light and giddy. But it was no illusion or
dream. Mr. Shubrick was really there, finishing his breakfast, and
really going to stay and take care of her father; and Dolly felt as if
the tide of their affairs had turned.

So indeed it proved. From that time Mr. Shubrick assumed the charge of
the sick-room, by night and also by day. He went for a walk to the
village sometimes, and always got his dinne