o be possessed of commonsense and firmness.
But what astonished the doctor was the superbness of her whole figure.
She stood there, a model of queenliness, chastity, and modesty.

On her side also she scanned him for a moment. Doctor Deberle's years
were thirty-five; his face was clean-shaven and a little long; he had
keen eyes and thin lips. As she gazed on him she noticed for the first
time that his neck was bare. Thus they remained face to face, with
Jeanne asleep between them. The distance which but a short time before
had appeared immense, now seemed to be dwindling away. Then Helene
slowly wrapped the shawl about her shoulders again, while the doctor
hastened to button his coat at the neck.

"Mamma! mamma!" Jeanne stammered in her sleep. She was waking, and on
opening her eyes she saw the doctor and became uneasy.

"Mamma, who's that?" was her instant question; but her mother kissed
her, and replied: "Go to sleep, darling, you haven't been well. It's
only a friend."

The child seemed surprised; she did not remember anything. Drowsiness
was coming over her once more, and she fell asleep again, murmuring
tenderly: "I'm going to by-by. Good-night, mamma, dear. If he is your
friend he will be mine."

The doctor had removed his medicine-case, and, with a silent bow, he
left the room. Helene listened for a while to the child's breathing,
and then, seated on the edge of the bed, she became oblivious to
everything around her; her looks and thoughts wandering far away. The
lamp, still burning, was paling in the growing sunlight.

CHAPTER II.

Next day Helene thought it right and proper to pay a visit of thanks
to Doctor Deberle. The abrupt fashion in which she had compelled him
to follow her, and the remembrance of the whole night which he had
spent with Jeanne, made her uneasy, for she realized that he had done
more than is usually compassed within a doctor's visit. Still, for two
days she hesitated to make her call, feeling a strange repugnance
towards such a step. For this she could give herself no reasons. It
was the doctor himself who inspired her with this hesitancy; one
morning she met him, and shrunk from his notice as though she were a
child. At this excess of timidity she was much annoyed. Her quiet,
upright nature protested against the uneasiness which was taking
possession of her. She decided, therefore, to go and thank the doctor
that very day.

Jeanne's attack had ta