e physician, in an undertone, looking up
at the quadroon, and pausing with the prescription half torn off.

She shrugged her large shoulders and smiled perplexedly.

"Mizzez--Reechin?" The tone was one of query rather than assertion. "Dey
sesso," she added.

She might nurse the lady like a mother, but she was not going to be
responsible for the genuineness of a stranger's name.

"Where are they from?"

"I dunno?--Some pless?--I nevva yeh dat nem biffo?"

She made a timid attempt at some word ending in "walk," and smiled,
ready to accept possible ridicule.

"Milwaukee?" asked the Doctor.

She lifted her palm, smiled brightly, pushed him gently with the tip of
one finger, and nodded. He had hit the nail on the head.

"What business is he in?"

The questioner arose.

She cast a sidelong glance at him with a slight enlargement of her eyes,
and, compressing her lips, gave her head a little, decided shake. The
young man was not employed.

"And has no money either, I suppose," said the physician, as they
started again toward the sick-room.

She shrugged again and smiled; but it came to her mind that the Doctor
might be considering his own interests, and she added, in a whisper:--

"Dey pay me."

She changed places with the husband, and the physician and he passed
down the stairs together in silence.

"Well, Doctor?" said the young man, as he stood, prescription in hand,
before the carriage-door.

"Well," responded the physician, "you should have called me sooner."

The look of agony that came into the stranger's face caused the Doctor
instantly to repent his hard speech.

"You don't mean"--exclaimed the husband.

"No, no; I don't think it's too late. Get that prescription filled and
give it to Mrs. ----"

"Richling," said the young man.

"Let her have perfect quiet," continued the Doctor. "I shall be back
this evening."

And when he returned she had improved.

She was better again the next day, and the next; but on the fourth she
was in a very critical state. She lay quite silent during the Doctor's
visit, until he, thinking he read in her eyes a wish to say something to
him alone, sent her husband and the quadroon out of the room on separate
errands at the same moment. And immediately she exclaimed:--

"Doctor, save my life! You mustn't let me die! Save me, for my husband's
sake! To lose all he's lost for me, and then to lose me too--save me,
Doctor! save me!"

"I'm going to do it!" said he.