'And what a blessing that she took the chloroform so well, with hardly any after-effects!' said Mr. Selby cheerily, drawing on his gloves in the sitting-room. 'Well, Mr. Grieve, you have got a good nurse, and can leave your wife to her with perfect peace of mind. You must sleep, or you will knock up; let me give you a sleeping draught.'
'Oh! I shall sleep,' said David, impatiently. 'You considered the operation successful—completely successful?'
The surgeon looked gravely into the fire.
'I shall know more in a week or so,' he said. 'I have never disguised from you, Mr. Grieve, how serious and difficult the case was. Still, we have done what was right—we can but wait for the issue.'
An hour later Dora looked into the sitting-room, and said softly:—
'She would like to see you, David.'
He went in, holding his breath. There was a night-light in the room, and her face was lying in deep shadow.
He knelt down beside her, and kissed her hand.
'My darling!' he said—and his voice was quite firm and steady—'are you easier now?'
'Yes,' she said faintly. 'Where are you going to sleep?'