subsided.

Mr. Batterbury shook his head mournfully. "I regret to say, not quite so
well as her friends could wish," he answered. "The last time I had the
pleasure of seeing her ladyship, she looked so yellow that if we had
been in Jamaica I should have said it was a case of death in twelve
hours. I respectfully endeavored to impress upon her ladyship the
necessity of keeping the functions of the liver active by daily walking
exercise; time, distance, and pace being regulated with proper regard to
her age--you understand me?--of course, with proper regard to her age."

"You could not possibly have given her better advice," I said. "When I
saw her, as long as two years ago, Lady Malkinshaw's favorite delusion
was that she was the most active woman of seventy-five in all England.
She used to tumble downstairs two or three times a week, then, because
she never would allow any one to help her; and could not be brought to
believe that she was as blind as a mole, and as rickety on her legs as a
child of a year old. Now you have encouraged her to take to walking, she
will be more obstinate than ever, and is sure to tumble down daily, out
of doors as well as in. Not even the celebrated Malkinshaw toughness can
last out more than a few weeks of that practice. Considering the present
shattered condition of my constitution, you couldn't have given her
better advice--upon my word of honor, you couldn't have given her better
advice!"

"I am afraid," said Mr. Batterbury, with a power of face I envied; "I
am afraid, my dear Frank (let me call you Frank), that I don't quite
apprehend your meaning: and we have unfortunately no time to enter into
explanations. Five miles here by a roundabout way is only half my daily
allowance of walking exercise; five miles back by a roundabout way