"Shut the door at once." When old Joel Mazarine's footsteps were heard upon the staircase again, Orlando was lying with half-closed eyes, watching, yet too weak to speak; and the Young Doctor was giving directions to Rada and Li Choo for the night-watch in Orlando's room.

When Mazarine entered, the Young Doctor gave him a casual nod and went on with his directions.

When he had finished, Rada said in her broken English, with an accent half-Indian, half-French: "His mother you send for--yes?
She come queeck.

Some one must take care him when for me get breakfus and Li Choo do chores." "We'll send for her in the morning," interrupted Joel Mazarine.
"Perhaps Mrs.Mazarine would be well enough to help a little in the morning," remarked the Young Doctor in a colourless voice.

He knew when to be audacious; or, if he did not know, he had an instinct; and he noticed that the wounded man's eyelids did not even blink when he threw out the hint concerning Louise, while the eyes of the old man took on a sullen flame.
"Mrs.Mazarine has to be molly-coddled herself--that's what you've taught her," he snarled.
"Well, then, send for Mrs.Guise to-night," commanded the Young Doctor.
He thought Joel Mazarine made unnecessary noise as he stamped down the staircase to send a farmhand to Slow Down Ranch; and he also thought that Orlando Guise showed discretion of manner and look in a moment of delicacy and difficulty.