practice is growing, but he hasn't been here long, you know. I
think I might go"--this with a look of inquiry at her husband.

"Why not?" said Dr. Beswick. He could not help seeing that the
association of his wife with the mission might serve to extend his
practice, and that even Mrs. Beswick must grow tired after a while of
conversations with him alone, sugared though they were.

When Phillida had gone the doctor's wife said to her husband that she
never had seen a nicer lady than that Miss Callender. "I just love her,"
she declared, "if she does believe in faith-healing."

"Ah, well, what I said to her will have its effect," he replied, with
suppressed exultation.

"You said just the right thing, my love. You 'most always do. But I was
afraid you would hurt her feelings a little. She doesn't seem very
happy."

XXIX.

MILLARD AND RUDOLPH.

Rudolph, coming home from work early on the next Saturday afternoon, saw
Millard approaching from the other direction. With that appetite for
sympathy which the first dash of sorrow is pretty sure to bring, the
young man felt an impulse to accost the person who had thought enough of
his sister's sufferings to give her a wheel-chair.

"Mr. Millard!"

"Oh, yes; you are Wilhelmina Schulenberg's brother," scrutinizing the
young man. "And how is your sister now?"

Rudolph shook his head gloomily.

"She can not live many days already; she will be dying purty soon."

"What? Sick again? Then Miss Callender's cure did not last."

"Ah, yes; her back it is all right. But you see maybe praying is not
strong for such sickness as she has now. It is quick consumption."

"Poor child!" said Millard.

"She has been very unlucky," said Rudolph. "We are all very unlucky. My
father he died when I was little, and my mother she had to work hard,
and I soon had also to work. And then Whilhelmina she got sick, and it
gave mother trouble."

"Has Miss Callender seen your sister?"

"Yes; she did not tell you already?" queried Rudolph.

"I have not seen her for a long time," said Millard.

"Oh!" exclaimed Rudolph, and went no farther.

"Did she--did she not try to make your sister well?"

"Yes; but believing is all good enough for the back, but it is no good
when you're real sick insides. You see it is consumption."

"Yes; I see," said Millard. A rush of feeling came over him. He
remembered Mina Schulenberg as she sat that day about a year ago--the
day of his engagement--near