s in bed. While the men were eating, Rachel slipped
in to her mother. She was awake, but her flushed face and wild, bright
eyes startled the girl.

"Oh, mother!" she cried, "you are very sick; you must have the
doctor."

"No, dear," the mother answered; "father is too busy now. I'll be
better after awhile. You go help wait on the table."

Rachel returned to the dining-room. "Take that fly-brush, Rachel,"
said her father. "Susy's no account; she's too lazy to keep it going."

Poor, tired little Susy, who had done a large churning that morning,
crimsoned to the roots of her hair as she handed Rachel the brush and
hurried out of the room.

When dinner was over Mr. Stillman glared into the room where his wife
lay. "She is asleep," he said. "I guess she's all right."

"She hasn't eaten a thing to-day," said Rachel. "Hadn't she better
have the doctor?"

"Well," said her father, impatiently, "if she's no better in the
morning, I'll send for him;" and he went back to the field.

Rachel went for Mrs. Lansing, for she and her sisters grew frightened
as the mother's fever increased. When that good woman came she saw at
once the serious condition of her friend.

"I saw Dr. Lewis coming down the road in his buggy as I came," she
said. "One of you hurry out and stop him."

When, about five o'clock, the rain began to fall in torrents, Mr.
Stillman had the satisfaction of seeing the last load of grain driven
inside the barn door; and, taking off his hat, he wiped the moisture
from his face, saying: "Well, boys, we beat the rain; and I don't care
if it pours down now."

He walked toward the house, and, to his surprise, saw the well-known
figure of Dr. Lewis on the front porch. "Driven in by the rain," he
thought. "I'll get him to give mother a little medicine."

"How are you, doctor?" he said, as he stepped upon the porch. "Lucky
getting my wheat in, wasn't I?"

"Very," said the doctor, gravely; "but I am sorry to say I find Mrs.
Stillman a very sick woman. You should have sent for me long ago." The
husband was startled.

"Why," he said, "she has been going about until to-day. I guess it's
this weather has made her so weak. She can't be very sick."

The physician was silent for a moment; then he said: "If there is not
a change for the better soon, I fear she will live but a few days. I
cannot understand how she has kept up;" and he turned and went into
the sick-room.

For once the men at Stillman's ate a cold supper