`` No , Mac , '' very low . `` Ah ! '' That was all , but Rose saw her cousin set his lips together and take a long breath , as if she had hit him hard . He bore the disappointment bravely , however , and asked quite steadily in a minute , `` How soon does he think I can study again ? '' It was so hard to answer that ! Yet Rose knew she must , for Aunt Jane had declared she could not do it , and Uncle Mac had begged her to break the truth to the poor lad . `` Not for a good many months . '' `` How many ? '' he asked with a pathetic sort of gruffness . `` A year , perhaps . '' `` A whole year ! Why , I expected to be ready for college by that time . '' And , pushing up the shade , Mac stared at her with startled eyes , that soon blinked and fell before the one ray of light . `` Plenty of time for that ; you must be patient now , and get them thoroughly well , or they will trouble you again when it will be harder to spare them , '' she said , with tears in her own eyes . `` I wo n't do it ! I will study and get through somehow . It 's all humbug about taking care so long . These doctors like to keep hold of a fellow if they can . But I wo n't stand it I vow I wo n't ! '' and he banged his fist down on the unoffending pillow as if he were pommelling the hard-hearted doctor .
`` Now , Mac , listen to me , '' XXXXX said very earnestly , though her voice shook a little and her heart ached .
Jane Mac Rose doctor fist gruffness lips minute months year