"Am I doing well here?" was the doctor's rejoinder.
"Not very, I fear."
"And, with this strike on, it grows worse. The wives and children fall ill, as usual, and I am called in; but the men have no money to pay me with. I don't intend to bring Bessy to dry bread, and I think it would come to that if we stayed here----"
"No, no; not quite to that, Oliver," she interposed. But he took no notice of her.
"Therefore I shall try my fortune elsewhere," continued Dr. Rane. "And if you would return thanks to the quarter whence the blow has originated, you must pay them to your stepmother, Richard. It is she who has driven me away."
Richard was silent. Dr. Rane broke the seal of Mr. Lynch's letter, and read it to the end. Then, laying it down, he took up the one from America, and read that. Bessy, looking across, tried to gather some information from his countenance; but Dr. Rane's face was one which, in an ordinary way, was not more easily read than a stone.
"Is it favourable news, Oliver?" she asked, as he finished the long letter, and folded it.
"It's nothing particular. Jones runs on upon politics. He generally gives me a good dose of them."
"Oh, I meant from Mr. Lynch," replied Bessy. "Is he coming?"
"Mr. Lynch declines."