And when poor motherless Janet Mudge was struck down too with the dreaded disease, and had no one but servants to care for her, her own aunt, who lived in Joppa, being afraid to so much as go to the house to ask after her, it seemed perfectly natural to everybody that Phebe Lane, who had no cares at home and no one really dependent upon her, should quietly install herself as Janet's nurse.

It was a very proper and natural thing for Phebe to do, everybody said, and thought no more about it.

It was so manifestly a duty sent direct from Heaven, labelled "For Phebe Lane." "I met Dr.Dennis to-day," said Halloway one afternoon, coming into his sister's room and throwing himself wearily down on the sofa.

"He says Janet Mudge is better,--is really going to get well." Soeur Angelique put aside her work and came to sit by the sofa and stroke her boy's head.

If the doctors were overworked and spent, so too was he.
The hour of trial had not found him wanting.