THE GOOD PHYSICIAN. 133

continue so, you will not be able to stand or walk
without support.”

Mr. Lovett purposely avoided saying anything
about crutches at present, and, as support only
seemed to Lucy to mean her father’s help, she
reconciled herself to the prospect of a few weeks,
or even months, of confinement more readily than
he had feared she would. With Lucy’s present
views of her own great unworthiness, and of
God’s goodness in having restored her to life from
the very gates of death, she could not be impatient
at the thought of longer confinement; besides, if
any impatient thoughts did arise, her conscience
rebuked them, by reminding her that all her suf-
ferings had been the effect of her own wrong-
doing.

A fortnight passed away after this conversation.
Lucy’s health continued to improve. She felt
stronger, and each day spent more and more time
out of bed. Her limbs were carefully and fre-
quently rubbed, yet there was no unbending of
those cramped sinews, and nothing more had been
said of her walking. Mary had never loved her

cousin so well as now. Not only did her sym-