"I will go with you, however, if I may," said Rose Stillwater, touching the hand bell, that soon brought an attendant into the room.
"Will you ask Sister Susannah, please, to come to me?" said Mrs. Stillwater.
The attendant went out and was soon succeeded by the sister.
"My friends wish to take me away, and I feel quite able to go with them--in a carriage. Will you please find the doctor and ask him?" inquired Mrs. Stillwater.
"I hope I find you better, my child," he said, coming to the easy chair in which sat and reclined the patient.
"Very much better, thank you, sir; so much that I feel quite able to go out with my friends, if I may."
"I hope I have not detained you from your friends," said Rose.
"No. I left the dean in conversation with an English patient from his old parish. It was an accidental meeting, but a most interesting one."
"Does--the dean--contemplate a long stay in the city?" Rose forced herself to ask.
"Oh, no; he leaves to-night by one of the Sound steamers for Boston and Newport. His English temperament feels the heat of the city even more than we do."
Rose felt it in her heart to wish that the climate might "burn as an oven," if it should drive the British dean away.
"But I must not leave my visitors longer. So if you will excuse me, sir," he said, turning to Mr. Rockharrt, "I will take leave of my patient and her friends here."
He shook hands all around, receiving the warm thanks of the whole party.
When the venerable doctor left the room, Mr. Rockharrt withdrew to the corridor to give the nurse an opportunity to dress the convalescent for her journey.
He walked up and down the corridor for a few minutes, at the end of which Rose Stillwater came out dressed for her drive, and leaning on the arm of Cora Rothsay.
Mr. Rockharrt hastened to meet her, and took her off Cora's hands, and drew her arm within his own.
So they went down stairs and entered the carriage that was waiting for them.
A drive of fifteen minutes brought them to the Blank House.
"Grandfather," said Cora, as they alighted and went into the house, Rose leaning on Mr. Rockharrt's arm--"Grandfather, I think, now that the rush of travelers have passed northward, you may be able to get me another room. In Mrs. Stillwater's nervous condition it cannot be agreeable to her to have the disturbance of a room-mate."