"There she comes!" cried he. "Give me the letter. I'll take it myself."

"You're not going without your hat, surely, Mr. Beeves," said Emma.

"Bless me! It's down-stairs. There's master's old one! He'll never want it
again. And if he does, it'll be none the worse."

And he was out of the door in a moment. Beeves's alarm, however, as to
Mrs. Cathcart's approach, was a false one. She returned into the sick
chamber, with a face fiery red, and found Dr. Wade just finishing an
elaborate prescription.

"There!" said he, rising. "Send for that at once, and let it be taken
directly. Good morning."

He left the room instantly, making signs that he was afraid of exciting
his patient, as she did not appear to approve of his presence.

"What is the prescription?" said Adela, quite quietly, as Mrs. Cathcart
approached the bed, apparently trying to decipher it.

"I am glad to see you so much calmer, my dear. You must not excite
yourself. The prescription?--I cannot make it out. Doctors do write so
badly. I suppose they consider it professional."

"They consider a good many things professional which are only stupid. Let
me see it."

Mrs. Cathcart, thrown off her guard, gave it to her. Adela tore it in