reatened her
beloved father had not yet entered her youthful mind, and she was
serenely happy as she sat there waiting for the departure of the
physician as the signal that she might return to him.

From her earliest recollection he had been father and mother both to her,
Mrs. Leland's time being too fully occupied with her onerous duties to
society to allow her to bestow much attention upon her child.

Had the husband and father taken a like view of his responsibilities,
Evelyn would have been left almost entirely to the care of the servants;
but to him the formation of his child's character, the cultivation of her
mind and heart, was a duty that outweighed all social claims, and to
which even business might to some extent be sacrificed.

Nor was it a duty only, but also a delight. And so well was she rewarding
his efforts that he found her, at thirteen, more companionable than her
mother had ever been; taking an enthusiastic interest in his professional
work, and sharing his aspirations after perfection therein and
recognition as one of the foremost architects of his day.

In her esteem he had already distanced all competitors; no one else could
plan a house so well for comfort, convenience, and beauty combined. Also
he was to her the very embodiment of all that was unselfish, good, and
noble.

She thought, and truly, that her mother failed to appreciate him.

While Evelyn waited the doctor subjected his patient to a thorough
examination, not only feeling his pulse, listening to the beating
of his heart, sounding his lungs and looking at his tongue, but
cross-questioning him closely, his face growing graver with every reply
elicited.

"You have told me everything?" he inquired at length.

"Yes, I think so; every symptom that I can recall at this moment. And
now, doctor, I want you to be equally frank with me; tell me exactly what
you think of my case."

"I cannot hold out any hope of recovery," was the unwilling reply; "but
there is little, if any, immediate danger."

"You but confirm my own impressions," said Mr. Leland quietly. "But I
would have a clearer understanding of your verdict; do you mean that I
may have years of invalidism before me, or that a few weeks or months
must bring the end?"

"You really desire to know the worst, my dear sir?" returned the
physician inquiringly, a look of deep sympathy on his kindly face.

"I do," was the calmly resolute reply; "let me know the worst and face it
in