ried bow of courtesy to Phillida as a stranger; but as he
did so, he arrested himself and said in the fatherly tone he habitually
used with his young women patients, "How do you do? You came to see me
last year with--"

"My mother, Mrs. Callender," said Phillida.

"Yes, yes; and how is your mother, my dear?"

"Quite well, thank you, doctor."

The doctor dispatched these courtesies with business-like promptness,
and then settled himself to an examination of little Tommy.

"This is diphtheria," he said; "you will want a physician in the
neighborhood. Let's see, whom have you?" This to Millard.

Millard turned to his aunt. She looked at Phillida. "There's Dr. Smith
around the corner," said Phillida.

Dr. Gunstone said, "Dr. Smith?" inquiringly to himself. But the name did
not seem to recall any particular Smith.

"And Dr. Beswick in Seventeenth street," said Phillida.

"Beswick is a very good young fellow, with ample hospital experience,"
said Gunstone. "Can you send for him at once?"

Robert, who stood alert without the door, was told to bring Dr. Beswick
in the carriage, and in a very short space of time Beswick was there,
having left Mrs. Beswick sure that success and renown could not be far
away when her husband was called on Gunstone's recommendation, and
fetched in a coupe under the conduct of what seemed to her a coachman
and a footman. Beswick's awkwardness and his abrupt up-and-downness of
manner contrasted strangely with Dr. Gunstone's simple but graceful
ways. A few rapid directions served to put the case into Beswick's
hands, and the old doctor bowed swiftly to all in the room, descended
the stairs, and, having picked his way hurriedly through a swarm of
children on the sidewalk, entered the carriage again, and was gone.

Millard looked at his watch, remembered that he had had no breakfast,
and prepared to take his leave.

"Thank you, Charley, ever so much," said his aunt. "I don't know what I
should have done without you."

"Miss Callender is the one to thank," said Millard, scarcely daring to
look at her, as he bade her and Dr. Beswick good-morning.

When he had reached the bottom of the long flight of stairs, Millard
suddenly turned about and climbed upward once more.

"Miss Callender," he said, standing in the door, "let me speak to you,
please."

Phillida went out to him. This confidential conversation could not but
excite a rush of associations and emotion in the minds of both of them,