e in the area, speaking with a German accent.

"Please tell Miss Callender that Rudolph Schulenberg will like to speak
with her."

Phillida rose and went to the door.

"Miss Callender," said Rudolph, "Mina is so sick for three days already
and she hopes you will come to her right away this morning, wunst, if
you will be so kind."

"Certainly I will. But what is the matter with her? Is it the old
trouble with the back?"

"No; it is much worse as that. She has got such a cough, and she can not
breathe. Mother she believe that Mina is heart-sick and will die wunst
already."

"I will come in half an hour or so."

"If you would. My mother her heart is just breaking. But Mina is sure
that if Miss Callender will come and pray with her the cough will all go
away wunst more already."

Phillida finished her breakfast in almost total silence, and then
without haste left the house. She distinctly found it harder to maintain
her attitude of faith than it had been. But all along the street she
braced herself by prayer and meditation, until her spirit was once more
wrought into an ecstasy of religious exaltation. She mounted the
familiar stairs, thronged now with noisy-footed and vociferous children
issuing from the various family cells on each level to set out for
school.

"How do you do, Mrs. Schulenberg?" said Phillida, as she encountered the
mother on the landing in front of her door. "How is Wilhelmina?"

"Bad, very bad," whispered the mother, closing the door behind her and
looking at Phillida with a face laden with despair. Then alternately
wiping her eyes with her apron and shaking her head ominously, she said:
"She will never get well this time. She is too bad already. She is
truly heart-sick."

"Have you had a doctor?"

"No; Mina will not have only but you. I tell her it is no use to pray
when she is so sick; she must have a doctor. But no."

"How long has she been sick?"

"Well, three or four days; but she was not well"--the mother put her
hand on her chest--"for a week. She has been thinking you would come."
Mrs. Schulenberg's speech gave way to tears and a despairing shaking of
the head from side to side.

Phillida entered, and found Mina bolstered in her chair, flushed with
fever and gasping for breath. The sudden change in her appearance was
appalling.

"I thought if you would come, nothing would seem too hard for your
prayers. O Miss Callender,"--her voice died to a hoarse whisper,--"pray
for me,