nd sore throat,--they had n't that fine name for it long ago, and
people got well all the sooner. Is he gone?"

"No; he's talking with Mark in the library; he'll be telling him, I
think, about the Commodore."

"Well, don't ask him to stop to dinner; we have sorrow enough without
seeing a doctor."

"Oh, here comes Mark! Where is Dr. Reede?"

"He's gone over to see Maitland. Fenton came to say that he wished to
see him."

"Surely he's not ill," said Alice.

"Oh, dear! what a misfortune that would be!" cried the old lady, with
real affliction in her tone; "to think of Mr. Norman Maitland taking ill
in one's house."

"Have n't you been over to ask after him, Mark?"

"No. I was waiting till Reede came back: he's one of those men that
can't bear being inquired after; and if it should turn out that he was
not ill, he 'd not take the anxiety in good part."

"How he has contrived to play the tyrant to you all, I can't imagine,"
said Alice; "but I can see that every whim and caprice he practises is
studied as courtiers study the moods of their masters."

"To be sure, darling, naturally," broke in Mrs. Maxwell, who always
misunderstood everybody. "Of course, we are only too happy to indulge
him in a whim or fancy; and if the doctor thinks turtle would suit
him--turtle is so light; I took it for several weeks for luncheon--we
can have it at once. Will you touch the bell, Mark, and I'll tell Raikes
to telegraph? Who is it he gets it from?"

Mark pulled the bell, but took no notice of her question. "I wish,"
muttered he below his breath, "we had never come here. There 's Bella
now, laid up, and here 's Maitland. I 'm certain he's going away, for I
overheard Fenton ask about the distance to Dundalk."

"I suppose we might survive even that misfortune," said she, haughtily.

"And one thing I'll swear to," said Mark, walking the room with
impatience,--"it 's the last Ireland will see of him."

"Poor Ireland! the failure in the potato-crop was bad enough, but this
is more than can be endured."

"That's all very fine, Alice, but I 'm much mistaken if you are as
indifferent as you pretend."

"Mark! what do you mean?" said she, angrily.

"Here's Raikes now; and will some one tell him what it is we want?" said
Mrs. Maxwell; but the others were far too deeply engaged in their own
whispered controversy now to mind her.

"Captain Lyle will tell you by and by, Raikes," said she, gathering up
the mass of loose _impedimenta_