. He wondered why he had troubled
himself about the woman who cared nothing--nothing whatever for him. He
repeated about her the bitter, scornful things he had said so often. He
fancied he had suddenly grown indifferent.

"I shall go back to Primpton," he said; "London is too horrible."

XVIII

The lassitude and the headache explained themselves, for the day after
Jamie's arrival at Little Primpton he fell ill, and the doctor announced
that he had enteric fever. He explained that it was not uncommon for
persons to develop the disease after their return from the Cape. In
their distress, the first thought of Mrs. Parsons and the Colonel was to
send for Mary; they knew her to be quick and resourceful.

"Dr. Radley says we must have a nurse down. Jamie is never to be left
alone, and I couldn't manage by myself."

Mary hesitated and reddened:

"Oh, I wish Jamie would let me nurse him! You and I could do everything
much better than a strange woman. D'you think he'd mind?"

Mrs. Parsons looked at her doubtfully.

"It's very kind of you, Mary. I'm afraid he's not treated you so as to
deserve that. And it would exhaust you dreadfully."

"I'm very strong; I should like it so much. Won't you ask Jamie? He can
only refuse."

"Very well."

Mrs. Parsons went up to her son, by whom sat the Colonel, looking at him
wistfully. James lay on his back, breathing quickly, dull, listless, and
apathetic. Every now and then his dark dry lips contracted as the
unceasing pain of his head became suddenly almost insufferable.

"Jamie, dear," said Mrs. Parsons, "Dr. Radley says you must have a
second nurse, and we thought of getting one from Tunbridge Wells. Would
you mind if Mary came instead?"

James opened his eyes, bright and unnatural, and the dilated pupils gave
them a strangely piercing expression.

"Does she want to?"

"It would make her very happy."

"Does she know that enteric is horrid to nurse?"

"For your sake she will do everything willingly."

"Then let her." He smiled faintly. "It's an ill wind that blows nobody
good. That's what the curate said."

He had sufficient strength to smile to Mary when she came up, and to
stretch out his hand.

"It's very good of you, Mary."

"Nonsense!" she said, cheerily. "You mustn't talk. And you must do
whatever I tell you, and let yourself be treated like a little boy."

For days James remained in the same condition, with aching head, his
face livid in its pallor,