He's ill: I fear he is going to have a fit." "I left him sound and well, just now," said Wilfrid.

"This is your mania." "I found him gasping in his chair not two minutes after you quitted him.
Dearest, he is in a dangerous state!" Wilfrid stept back to his father, and was saluted with a ready "Well ?" as he entered; but the mask had slipped from half of the old man's face, and for the first time in his life Wilfrid perceived that he had become an old man.
"Well, sir, you sent for me ?" he said.
"Girls always try to persuade you you're ill--that's all," returned Mr.
Pole.

His voice was subdued; but turning to Cornelia, he fired up: "It's preposterous to tell a man who carries on a business like mine, you've observed for a long while that he's queer!--There, my dear child, I know that you mean well.

I shall look all right the day you're married." This allusion, and the sudden kindness, drew a storm of tears to Cornelia's eyelids.
"Papa! if you will but tell me what it is!" she moaned.
A nervous frenzy seemed to take possession of him.

He ordered her out of the room.
She was gone, but his arm was still stretched out, and his expression of irritated command did not subside.
Wilfrid took his arm and put it gently down on the chair, saying: "You're not quite the thing to-day, sir." "Are you a fool as well ?" Mr.Pole retorted.