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“Twodegreeshigherthanitwasyesterday，“saidSt。John。
“Iwonderwherethesenutscomefrom，“heobserved，takinganutoutoftheplate，turningitoverinhisfingers，andlookingatitcuriously。
“London，Ishouldthink，“saidTerence，lookingatthenuttoo。
“Acompetentmanofbusinesscouldmakeafortunehereinnotime，“
St。Johncontinued。“Isupposetheheatdoessomethingfunnytopeople’sbrains。EventheEnglishgoalittlequeer。Anyhowthey’rehopelesspeopletodealwith。Theykeptmethree-quartersofanhourwaitingatthechemist’sthismorning，fornoreasonwhatever。“
Therewasanotherlongpause。ThenRidleyenquired，“Rodriguezseemssatisfied？“
“Quite，“saidTerencewithdecision。“It’sjustgottorunitscourse。“
WhereuponRidleyheavedadeepsigh。Hewasgenuinelysorryforeveryone，butatthesametimehemissedHelenconsiderably，andwasalittleaggrievedbytheconstantpresenceofthetwoyoungmen。
Theymovedbackintothedrawing-room。
“Lookhere，Hirst，“saidTerence，“there’snothingtobedonefortwohours。“Heconsultedthesheetpinnedtothedoor。
“Yougoandliedown。I’llwaithere。ChaileysitswithRachelwhileHelenhasherluncheon。“
ItwasaskingagooddealofHirsttotellhimtogowithoutwaitingforasightofHelen。TheselittleglimpsesofHelenweretheonlyrespitesfromstrainandboredom，andveryoftentheyseemedtomakeupforthediscomfortoftheday，althoughshemightnothaveanythingtotellthem。However，astheywereonanexpeditiontogether，hehadmadeuphismindtoobey。
Helenwasverylateincomingdown。Shelookedlikeapersonwhohasbeensittingforalongtimeinthedark。Shewaspaleandthinner，andtheexpressionofhereyeswasharassedbutdetermined。
Sheateherluncheonquickly，andseemedindifferenttowhatshewasdoing。ShebrushedasideTerence’senquiries，andatlast，asifhehadnotspoken，shelookedathimwithaslightfrownandsaid:
“Wecan’tgoonlikethis，Terence。Eitheryou’vegottofindanotherdoctor，oryoumusttellRodrigueztostopcoming，andI’llmanageformyself。It’snouseforhimtosaythatRachel’sbetter；
she’snotbetter；she’sworse。“
Terencesufferedaterrificshock，likethatwhichhehadsufferedwhenRachelsaid，“Myheadaches。“HestilleditbyreflectingthatHelenwasoverwrought，andhewasupheldinthisopinionbyhisobstinatesensethatshewasopposedtohimintheargument。
“Doyouthinkshe’sindanger？“heasked。
“Noonecangoonbeingasillasthatdayafterday——“Helenreplied。
Shelookedathim，andspokeasifshefeltsomeindignationwithsomebody。
“Verywell，I’lltalktoRodriguezthisafternoon，“hereplied。
Helenwentupstairsatonce。
NothingnowcouldassuageTerence’sanxiety。Hecouldnotread，norcouldhesitstill，andhissenseofsecuritywasshaken，inspiteofthefactthathewasdeterminedthatHelenwasexaggerating，andthatRachelwasnotveryill。Buthewantedathirdpersontoconfirmhiminhisbelief。
DirectlyRodriguezcamedownhedemanded，“Well，howisshe？
Doyouthinkherworse？“
“Thereisnoreasonforanxiety，Itellyou——none，“RodriguezrepliedinhisexecrableFrench，smilinguneasily，andmakinglittlemovementsallthetimeasiftogetaway。
Hewetstoodfirmlybetweenhimandthedoor。Hewasdeterminedtoseeforhimselfwhatkindofmanhewas。Hisconfidenceinthemanvanishedashelookedathimandsawhisinsignificance，hisdirtyappearance，hisshiftiness，andhisunintelligent，hairyface。Itwasstrangethathehadneverseenthisbefore。
“Youwon’tobject，ofcourse，ifweaskyoutoconsultanotherdoctor？“
hecontinued。
Atthisthelittlemanbecameopenlyincensed。
“Ah！“hecried。“Youhavenotconfidenceinme？Youobjecttomytreatment？Youwishmetogiveupthecase？“
“Notatall，“Terencereplied，“butinseriousillnessofthiskind——“
Rodriguezshruggedhisshoulders。
“Itisnotserious，Iassureyou。Youareoveranxious。Theyoungladyisnotseriouslyill，andIamadoctor。Theladyofcourseisfrightened，“hesneered。“I
