“Nor did I till this morning. It’s a new disease discovered by me. Speak it slowly and you have tired-out-um. I asked your mother if she had certain symptoms, and then I examined her back, patted her spine a bit, looked grave, and said that was where the trouble lay. I told her that she’d have to rest for six months, and take certain drugs. You know, I think, she had suspected her heart, and when she heard it was a tired spine she was like a two-year-old. Anyway, she’s agreed to let me try and put her straight.”

“Has she really promised to rest?”

“Yes. Of course, there was a lot of ‘if this’ and ‘if that’, and ‘I must talk to Janet.’”

“I can arrange everything.”

“Of course you can. You take young Iris to the cottage while you straighten the place. She’ll like to help. Do her good; get her away from Gladys. Very good, competent creature, and well-meaning, but no good with a child.”

Janet got up.

“Thank you awfully.”

He waved a friendly hand.

“That’s all right, my dear. I’ll be up again to see your mother in a day or two. Tirdoutum. Spine trouble, and don’t you forget it.”