unfortunate habit of over-indulgence in stimulants." I could almost
have smiled, so very gently and considerately did the good old man
veil in long words the shameful fact. "It is a habit sadly
prevalent among our fellow-countrymen in India; the climate
aggravates the mischief, and very many lives are in this way ruined.
Then your father was also unfortunate enough to contract rheumatism
when he was camping out in the jungle last year, and this is
increasing on him very much, so that his life is almost intolerable
to him, and he naturally flies for relief to his greatest enemy,
drink. At all costs, however, you must keep him from stimulants;
they will only intensify the disease and the sufferings, in fact
they are poison to a man in such a state. Don't think I am a bigot
in these matters; but I say that for a man in such a condition as
this, there is nothing for it but total abstinence, and at all costs
your father must be guarded from the possibility of procuring any
sort of intoxicating drink. Throughout the voyage I have done my
best to shield him, but it was a difficult matter. His servant,
too, is not trustworthy, and should be dismissed if possible."

"Had he spoken at all of his plans?" asked Derrick, and his voice
sounded strangely unlike itself.

"He asked me what place in England he had better settle down in,"
said the doctor, "and I strongly recommended him to try Bath. This
seemed to please him, and if he is well enough he had better go
there to-morrow. He mentioned your mother this morning; no doubt
she will know how to manage him."

"My mother died six months ago," said Derrick, pushing back his
chair and beginning to pace the room. The doctor made kindly