here, until they'll go to their mothers and ask,
with tears in their eyes, why they ever were born. Or will it be worth
while? No. They are hardly important enough; the public don't heed them.
But the four hundred pounds is remarkably important--to any one looking
forward to having an extravagant spendthrift of a wife on his hands, and
so you see, Linn, everything promises well. And I will say good-night to
you now--though I am not leaving the house yet--oh, no!--you can send
the nurse for me if you want me. _Schlaf' wohl!_"

The sick man murmured something unintelligible in reply, and then lay
still.

Now Maurice Mangan had spoken of his dawdling about this house; but the
fact was that he had his hands full from morning till night. The mere
correspondence he had to answer was considerable. Then there were the
visitors and the doctors to be received, and the nurse to be looked
after, and the anxious mother to be appeased and reassured. Indeed, on
this evening, the old lady, hearing that her son was sensible, begged
and entreated to be allowed to go in and talk to him, and it took both
her husband and Maurice to dissuade her.

"You see," said Mangan, "he's used to me; he doesn't mind my going in
and out; but if he finds you have all come up from Winstead, he may be
suddenly alarmed. Better wait until the crisis is over--then you may
take the place of the nurse whenever you like."

Shortly thereafter the old people and Francie left for their hotel; then
Maurice had to see about Nina, whom they had left in the up-stairs room.

"Just as you wish," she said, with a kind of pathetic humility in her
eyes. "If I can be of any service, I will stay all the night; a chair,
here, will be enough for me. Indeed, I should be glad to be allowed--"

"No, no," said he, "at present you could not be of any use; you must get
away home and have a sound night's rest after your travelling. I have
just called the nurse; she will be down in a minute. And if you will put
on your things I will send for a four-wheeled cab for you; or I will
walk along with you until we get one."

All day long Nina had betrayed no outward anxiety; she had merely
listened intently to every word, watched intently the expression of
every face, as the doctors came and went. And now, as Mangan shut the
door behind them, he did not care to discuss the chances of the fever;
it was a subject all too uncertain and too serious for a few farewell
words. But there was on