it must,” said Bell.  “I should think it wrong to ask any lady to share such an income as mine,” said he.  Whereupon Bell had suggested to him that some ladies had incomes of their own, and that he might in that way get over the difficulty.  “I should be afraid of myself in marrying a girl with money,” said he; “besides, that is altogether out of the question now.”  Of course Bell did not ask him why it was out of the question, and for a time they went on walking in silence.  “It is a hard thing to do,” he then said,—­not looking at her, but looking at the gravel on which he stood.  “It is a hard thing to do, but I will determine to think of it no further.  I believe a man may be as happy single as he may married,—­almost.”  “Perhaps more so,” said Bell.  Then the doctor left her, and Bell, as I have said before, made up her mind with great firmness that she was not in love with him.  I may certainly say that there was nothing in the world as to which she was so certain as she was of this.

And now, in these days, Dr Crofts did not come over to Allington very often.  Had any of the family in the Small House been ill, he would have been there of course.  The squire himself employed the apothecary in the village, or if higher aid was needed, would send for Dr Gruffen.  On the occasion of Mrs Dale’s party, Crofts was there, having been specially invited; but Mrs Dale’s special invitations to her friends were very few, and the doctor was well aware that he must himself make occasion for going there if he desired to see the inmates of the house.  But he very rarely made such occasion, perhaps feeling that he was more in his element at the workhouse and the hospital.

Just at this time, however, he made one very great and unexpected step towards success in his profession.  He was greatly surprised one morning by being summoned to the Manor House to attend upon Lord De Guest.  The family at the Manor had employed Dr Gruffen for the last thirty years, and Crofts, when he received the earl’s message, could hardly believe the words.  “The earl ain’t very bad,” said the servant, “but he would be glad to see you if possible a little before dinner.”

“You’re sure he wants to see me?” said Crofts.

“Oh, yes; I’m sure enough of that, sir.”

“It wasn’t Dr Gruffen?”

“No, sir; it wasn’t Dr Gruffen.  I believe his lordship’s had about enough of Dr Gruffen.  The doctor took to chaffing his lordship one day.”

“Chaffed his lordship;—­his hands and feet, and that sort of thing?” suggested the doctor.

“Hands and feet!” said the man.  “Lord bless you, sir, he poked his fun at him, just as though he was nobody.  I didn’t hear, but Mrs Connor says that my lord’s back was up terribly high.”  And so Dr Crofts got on his horse and rode up to Guestwick Manor.

The earl was alone, Lady Julia having already gone to Courcy Castle.  “How d’ye do, how d’ye do?” said the earl.  “I’m not very ill, but I want to get a little advice from you.  It’s quite a trifle, but I thought it well to see somebody.”  Whereupon Dr Crofts of course declared that he was happy to wait upon his lordship.