Wang Kum.

"I wish you'd go over and ask Dr. Brownlee to come in here for a few
minutes, as soon as he can, Wang," she said, in a low voice.

Wang Kum nodded wisely.

"All light; Wang sabe. You no wan' Mis' Pen'plok know." And he departed
on his errand.

Quarter of an hour later the doctor came. Wang had interrupted him in
the midst of dressing for the party, and he had hastily finished his
toilet and hurried over to the Everetts, rather at a loss to account for
the summons. Louise met him at the door.

"Dr. Brownlee!" she exclaimed, with an accent of relief; "it seemed as
if you'd never come."

The doctor looked at her in surprise. From Wang's unconcerned manner, he
had supposed that his message was in some way connected with the coming
party; but the girl's pale, anxious face showed that there was some more
serious cause for her sending to him. And yet he was only a human man;
and, in spite of his quick sympathy for her unknown trouble, he paused
for a moment to gaze at her admiringly, as she stood there with her
long, light gown sweeping about her feet, and one hand stretched out to
welcome him, while in the other she still held the great white rose that
she had taken from the bunch he had sent her. Then the instinct of the
doctor came uppermost once more.

"Is some one ill?" he asked briefly.

"Yes; it's Ned," answered Louise hurriedly. "He hasn't been well all
day, and he's worse to-night, so I wanted you to see him. Cousin
Euphemia says it's nothing but--Come, you can see for yourself."

In a moment more they were leaning over Ned, their evening costumes
contrasting strangely with the flushed face of the restless little
patient. With his usual bright, off-hand manner, the doctor greeted Ned,
as if his coming had been simply a matter of chance. But he took careful
note of his pulse and temperature, and asked a short, direct question or
two; then, after a few words more, he left the room, beckoning to Louise
to follow him.

"I'm glad you sent to me without waiting any longer, Miss Everett," he
told her, as soon as they were in the parlor once more "We're going to
have a case of scarlet fever in there, and it's high time some one was
looking out for it."

"Scarlet fever--Ned have scarlet fever!" repeated his sister slowly, as
she dropped into a chair. "Do you really mean it, Dr. Brownlee? Is he
very ill?"

"Not yet," returned the doctor. "But, first of all, where is Grant? We
must keep him out of the