. She was annoyed to feel her
color come, as she saw that it was addressed to her in Dr. Brownlee's
well-known writing.

"Where did you get this, Wang?" she asked.

"Doc' Blownlee." And Wang Kum smiled knowingly.

"But he didn't tell you to give it to me this way, did he?" she asked
again.

"He no tell; Wang sabe, all samee. Wang no fool." And Wang marched back
to the dining-room, leaving Louise to read her note unobserved.

As she had supposed, it was merely a message to appoint the hour for a
ride they had agreed upon for that afternoon. There was not the
slightest reason that she should not have received and read it under the
eye of Mrs. Pennypoker; but long experience had taught her that the ways
of Wang Kum were past finding out, so she only tucked the note into her
belt and went on her way, resolving, however, to warn the doctor to
select another Cupid, in the future, to be the bearer of his messages.

Some weeks had slipped away since Ned's illness, and spring had once
more come to Blue Creek. The crisis of the fever once passed, the boy
had quickly rallied, and, thanks to the devoted care of Louise and the
doctor, his recovery had been sure and steady, until at length he was
pronounced nearly well enough to resume his former place among his
friends. Then came the time of thoroughly disinfecting and airing the
house, for Dr. Brownlee was not the man to leave any uncertainty as to
results. His quarantine had been as strict as his later measures were
energetic, and he had refused to rest until he was assured that no
danger could come from his patient. Owing to the negligence of Dr.
Hofer, the disease had been spreading across the creek, until the board
of health had interfered, and summarily taken the cases from his care to
give them into the hand of Dr. Brownlee, whose vigorous treatment had
checked the trouble, even though it had incurred the hostility of the
parents of the fever-stricken children.

But at last the doctor had said that all danger at the Everetts' was
over, and Grant had been allowed to come home once more. In spite of the
good times he had been having with Howard and Charlie, in spite of the
motherly welcome of Mrs. Burnam, the boy had been thoroughly homesick
during the period of his banishment from home. It was the first time
that he and his brother had ever been separated, and Ned was his hero
and idol, as well as his constant companion. During the long days of
waiting, when the fever