“Beautiful!” exclaimed the other. “Quite a tropic plant.”
“Yes. Too graceful to give it only a glance. Here, light a cigar and let’s take time to contemplate its beauties—and growth,” he added, with a dry laugh. “There’s no hurry, eh?”
“Well, I have another patient to see; but—”
“He can wait a little longer, eh? What do you say to a seat and a light? There, now, we can contemplate the beauties of nature all a-growing and all a-blowing,” he added, after sending out a great puff of smoke.—“By the way, recollect you dine with us to-night,” said Gartram, after about half-an-hour’s conversation.
“To-night?” said the doctor, hesitating.
“Yes. No nonsense; and you can bring me a fresh bottle in your pocket. Now, I think we may as well join them indoors, eh?”
The doctor rose and walked with his host to the study window, where Gartram ground out an oath between his teeth.
“You miserable, stupid little jade!” he muttered; “couldn’t you see that you were not wanted here?”
Mary’s eyelids drooped.
“Oh, yes, uncle dear,” she said to herself. “I understand your funny little ways, but I’m not going. Of course, I knew that I was not wanted by one, but I was by the other, and as the other was poor Claude, why, I had the letters done in five minutes, and I’ve been here ever since.”