She shook her head. "He only knows that I am your assistant at operations. The other point hasn't come up."
"Good. Then he will accept whatever situation he finds, and never think of questioning it. The way is clear enough. And it's the only way I know of to insure his having what he needs—the close companionship of a sympathetic—yet not too sympathetic—woman—with a face like yours," he added, slyly.
The quick colour answered this, as he knew it would. "Dr. Burns! You know I'm not even good looking! Please don't say such things."
"I only said 'a face like yours.' That may imply a face as plain as you think Amy Mathewson's is—and as my wife and I know it is not. It's time you waked up, girl, to your own attractions. You ought to have faith in them when I'm asking the use of them for this patient of mine. I'd give about all I own to put him on his feet again."
"I hope you can—indeed I do. And of course—anything I can do—"
He nodded. "I'll leave that to you. Consult—not your head alone, but—your heart!"
And he let her go, smiling at her evident confusion of mind. But when left alone he sighed again.
"He needs a woman like my Ellen,—that would be a drug of a higher potency. But—he can't have that—he can't have that! I must do the next best thing."
And he went on his way, studying it out.
That evening he took his wife into his confidence. He did not tell her the whole story,—it was not his to tell. But he made her acquainted with the fact that Leaver had had a severe nervous shock and that the thing to be overcome was his own distrust of himself, the thing to be recovered was his entire self-command.