"If you had not the digestion of an ostrich, Mrs. Christie, you would
have been killed long ago," said he with severe reprobation. "You have
devoured half a man's earnings, and spoilt as fine a constitution as a
woman need be blessed with, by your continual drugging."

"No, Mr. Carnegie, sir--with all respect to your judgment--I never had
no constitution worth naming where constitutions come," said Mrs.
Christie, deeply affronted. "That everybody's witness as knew me afore
ever I married into the Forest. And what has kept me up since, toiling
and moiling with a husband and boys, if the drugs hasn't? I hope I'm
thankful for the blessing that has been sent with them." Miss Wort
purred her approval of these pious sentences.

"Some day you'll be in a hurry for an antidote, Mrs. Christie: that will
be the end of taking random advice."

"Well, sir, if so I be, my William is not the man to grudge me what's
called for. As you _are_ here, Mr. Carnegie, I should wish to have an
understanding whether you mean to provide me with doctor's stuff; if
not, I'll look elsewhere. I've not heard that Mr. Robb sets his face
against drugs yet; which it stands to reason has a use, or God Almighty
wouldn't have given them."

Mr. Carnegie rode off with a curt rejoinder to Mrs. Christie that he
would not supply her foolish cravings, Robb or no Robb. Miss Wort was
sorry for his contempt of the divine bounties, and sought an explanation
in his conduct: "Poor fellow! he has not entered a church since Easter,
unless he walks over to Littlemire, which is not likely."

"If he has not entered Mr. Wiley's church, I'm with him, and so is my