per all alone, so sadly.

"You will let me know if...."

"Of course I will," interrupted the doctor boy. "You may depend on me.
I'll send the big chap here over, if there is any change."

"You are very good," I said. "I think--I think you are a very nice
doctor."

To my surprise he blushed just a little.

"Thank you," he said. "Thank you very much."

There was a smile on his face, and I think I managed to smile a little
too, and then I went off with Susie.

"They is some o' th' old women as tells about love medicines as can make
folks jist crazy fer one another," she said, as we walked away, rapidly.
"Seems ter me 'twould be good enough if some o' them doctors found out
some drug as worked t'other way. This bein' in love is harder'n the
teethache, an' is enough ter make one feel like hopin' ter be an old
maid."

"Perhaps it does, Susie," I assented.

"Come in," cried Dad, as I pushed the door open. "Glad to see you, Helen.
I hope the poor chap's better. I just had Stefansson up here, and he says
that old Sammy tried his best to drown them all and smash the yacht to
kindling. But he admitted that the way the old fellow slapped her through
was a marvel. But next year he's going back to racing boats; says he's
had enough of cruising."

He looked at me, as I sank wearily in a chair, too tired to answer.

"What's the matter, daughter?" he asked. "You are not ill, are you?"

He rose and came towards me, his dear loving face full of concern, and I
jumped up too and kissed him.

"That's my own dear little girl," he said, much comforted. "And--and
Helen dear, I don't suppose you will want to sail to-morrow, will you, or
in a day or two?"

There was something very pleading in his voice, it seemed to me.

"Perhaps in a day or two it won't--it won't matter much what I shall do,
Daddy dear," I answered.

He took me and pressed me to his breast and I felt as if many years were
passing away, and I was again the desolate little girl who used to come
to him with her woes, when a kitten died or a doll was broken. He sat
again in his armchair, and I rested on the arm.

"Let us talk as in the old days, girlie," he said. "Let us be the loving
friends we've been all these years. I want to see you happy. Your
happiness is the only thing in the world that really concerns me now. To
obtain it for you I would spend my last cent and give the last drop of my
blood. You believe me, don't you?"

"Indeed I do, Daddy dear," I an