s of John Burrill, and running
with glib tongue over the entire gamut of her trials since. And all of
this, although it was far from new to the dwellers of Mill Avenue, was
listened to, by them, with absorbed interest, and the proper
accompaniment of ejaculations, at the proper places. During this
discourse, to which Brooks listened with evidences of liveliest
interest, Doctor Heath remained seemingly inattentive, waiting for a
lull in the storm; when it came at last, he ascertained as briefly as
possible, who among the women would remain, and pass the night with Mrs.
Burrill; gave her direction, as to the use she was to make of the
medicines he had prepared, and buttoned his coat about him, preparatory
to departure.

As his hand was upon the latch, the voice of his patient arrested him.

"Doctor," she said, earnestly. "It wouldn't be gratitude in me to let
you go away without a word of warning. I don't want to pry into your
affairs, but let me tell you this: You are not done with John Burrill;
you took him by surprise to-night; but, I'll wager he is over his scare
by now, and he is plotting how he can get another sight at you,
unbeknown to yourself; and, if he has reason to be afraid of you, then
look out for him; _you_ have reasons for being afraid too."

Doctor Heath hesitated a moment, and a shade of annoyance crossed his
face, then he said in his usual careless tone:

"Give yourself no uneasiness about this matter, madam; I never saw the
scoundrel before, and he was simply afraid of my fist. However, if he
ever should cross my path, be assured I shall know how to dispose of
him;" and Clifford Heath bowed and went out into the night, little
recking that he had left his life in the hands of five old women.

In a short time, Brooks arose and shuffled out, and then the tongues
were once more loosened, the husband attendant had been ordered home
with his two charges, and the chief subject of their converse was Doctor
Heath, and the strange influence he had exerted upon John Burrill; and a
fruitful theme they found it.

Meantime, John Burrill, who had fled straight on down the gloomy length
of Mill avenue, found himself, and his senses, together, close under the
shadow of one of the huge factories, and at the river's very edge.

Here, breathless and bespattered, he sat down upon a flat stone to
recover himself, and review the situation.

"Curse the man," he muttered. "I would not have made such a fool of
myself