“Will he die?” whispered Lucy, all pertness gone from her young face.
“No, my dear, he will not die; but he may do worse than die unless he can be allowed to take the rest that he should have been taking for years.”
“What could be worse than death?” sobbed Nan.
“Uselessness! Chronic nervous prostration! His nerves have lost their elasticity and nothing will cure him but a long rest, absolutely free from care. Worries of all kinds, business, financial, family, every kind, must be kept from him. As I told your mother yesterday, a sea voyage would be the best thing for him, a long, lazy trip. When one gets on the water out of sight of land he kind of loses his identity in the immensity of Creation. That is what I want your father to do—lose his identity. Your mother must go with him to nurse him—he won’t need much nursing, fortunately. And now you girls have got to decide among yourselves what is best to do. I know your financial affairs are none of my business——”
“Ahem——” from Helen.
“But I have to make your business my business for the time being on account of my patient. Your father tells me he has absolutely no income except what he gets from his profession. You know that, I suppose?”
“Why no—that is—we——” hesitated Douglas. “Father never talked business with us.”
“Um hum! I see! Just gave you ample allowances and let you spend ’em?”
“We have never had allowances,” spoke Nan with her funny drawl. “Just made bills instead.”
Dr. Wright flashed an amused look at the girl and for the first time they became aware of the fact that he had a very handsome set of teeth.