第32章

"For the young lady.The doctor said she was used to it.""The doctor? Well, that is very thoughtful.Do you want hot water, Moira?""Yes, the very thing I do want to get the dust out of my eyes and the grime off my face.""And the tea is in the ladies' parlor," added Billy.

"Tea!" cried Mandy, "the very thing!"

"The doctor said tea and toast."

"The doctor again!"

"Sure thing! Said they were all stuck on tea in the Old Country.""Oh, he did, eh? Will you have tea, Moira?""No tea, thank you.I shall lie down, I think, for a little.""All right, dear, we will see you at breakfast.Don't worry.Ishall call you."

Again she kissed the girl and left her to sleep.She found Billy standing in the ladies' parlor with a perplexed and disappointed look on his face.

"The Doc said she'd sure want some tea," he said.

"And you made the tea yourself?" inquired Mandy.

"Sure thing! The Doc--"

"Well, Billy, I'd just love a cup of tea if you don't mind wasting it on me.""Sure thing, ma'm! The Doc won't mind, bein' as she turned it down.""Where is Dr.Martin gone, Billy? He needs a cup of tea; he's been up all night.He must be feeling tough.""Judgin' by his langwidge I should surmise yes," said Billy judicially.

"Would you get him, Billy, and bring him here?""Get him? S'pose I could.But as to bringin' him here, I'd prefer wild cats myself.The last I seen of him he was hikin' for the Rockies with a blue haze round his hair.""But what in the world is wrong with him, Billy?" said Mandy anxiously."I've never seen him this way.""No, nor me," said Billy."The Doc's a pretty level headed cuss.

There's somethin' workin' on him, if you ask me.""Billy, you get him and tell him we want to see him at breakfast, will you?"Billy shook his head.

"Tell him, Billy, I want him to see my husband then.""Sure thing! That'll catch him, I guess.He's dead stuck on his work."And it did catch him, for, after breakfast was over, clean-shaven, calm and controlled, and in his very best professional style, Dr.

Martin made his morning call on his patient.Rigidly he eliminated from his manner anything beyond a severe professional interest.

Mandy, who for two years had served with him as nurse, and who thought she knew his every mood, was much perplexed.Do what she could, she was unable to break through the barrier of his professional reserve.He was kindly courteous and perfectly correct.

"I would suggest a quiet day for him, Mrs.Cameron," was his verdict after examining the patient."He will be quite able to get up in the afternoon and go about, but not to set off on a hundred and fifty mile drive.A quiet day, sleep, cheerful company, such as you can furnish here, will fix him up.""Doctor, we will secure the quiet day if you will furnish the cheerful company," said Mandy, beaming on him.

"I have a very busy day before me, and as for cheerful company, with you two ladies he will have all the company that is good for him.""CHEERFUL company, you said, Doctor.If you desert us how can we be cheerful?""Exactly for that reason," replied the doctor.

"Say, Martin," interposed Cameron, "take them out for a drive this afternoon and leave me in peace.""A drive!" cried Mandy, "with one hundred and fifty miles behind me and another hundred and fifty miles before me!""A ride then," said Cameron."Moira, you used to be fond of riding.""And am still," cried the girl, with sparkling eyes.

"A ride!" cried Mandy."Great! This is the country for riding.

But have you a habit?"

"My habit is in one of my boxes," replied Moira.

"I can get a habit," said the doctor, "and two of them.""That's settled, then," cried Mandy."I am not very keen.We shall do some shopping, Allan, you and I this afternoon and you two can go off to the hills.The hills! th--ink of that, Moira, for a highlander!" She glanced at Moira's face and read refusal there.

"But I insist you must go.A whole week in an awful stuffy train.

This is the very thing for you."

"Yes, the very thing, Moira," cried her brother."We will have a long talk this morning then in the afternoon we will do some business here, Mandy and I, and you can go up the Bow.""The Bow?"

"The Bow River.A glorious ride.Nothing like it even in Scotland, and that's saying a good deal," said her brother with emphasis.

This arrangement appeared to give complete satisfaction to all parties except those most immediately interested, but there seemed to be no very sufficient reason with either to decline, hence they agreed.