doubtful of the good which their day had done him. But he was rested
and cheerful in the morning, and she was not doubtful long. As time
passed, she could not but see that he was less impatient of his weakness
and his enforced idleness; that he was at peace with himself, as he had
not been for many a day, and that he was looking forward to renewed
strength with a firmer purpose and a more hopeful heart.

CHAPTER TWENTY TWO.

"And so, taking heart, he sailed
Westward, not knowing the end."

Dr Fleming was by no means satisfied with the progress which his
patient was making. He had called at the house with Mr Hume, and had
expressed himself very decidedly as to the desirableness of a change for
the young man, but he did not approve of Nethermuir, and he startled
them all by saying:

"What you need is a sea voyage. It will take time and it will take
money, but it is the very thing you need to make a new man of you. And
the sooner you go the better." And then he went away.

"You should go to America, John, where so many are going these days,"
said the minister.

Mrs Beaton looked from one to the other with appealing eyes; and seeing
this, John said nothing. Not a word more was spoken on the subject that
day nor the next. On the third, as they sat together by the fireside in
the gloaming, Mrs Beaton said:

"Well, John, what do you think?"

"Well, mother, I think the worst is over. I am growing stronger every
day."

His mother smiled and shook her head.

"You havena won far on yet," said she. "But it was about the voyage to
America that I was wishing to hear."

"It might do me good, but it is not absolutely necessary, I suppose."

"You might take a voyage without going so far as America."

"Yes, that is true."

"And the sooner the better for us both," said his mother, after a pause.

"A voyage to America would be as safe as any other, though it would be a
long one."

"Yes, it would be a long voyage. America is far, faraway. And when you
were once there, you might take it in your head to bide there."

"And you wouldna like that, mother?"

"I mightna like it, but it might be for your good, for all that."

"It wouldna be for my good to go away anywhere and leave my mother
behind me," said John gravely. "Would you come with me, mother?"

"No, lad; no. I couldna do that for several reasons. But if you were
to go there, and should see a prospect of prosperous days, I might
follow yo