, but she told me ag'in that she
would never have one of those unfledged medical students, just out of
the egg-shell, experimentin' on any of her family, and from what she
said about you in particular, I should say she considered you as a
medical chick without even down on you."

"What can she know of me?" I asked indignantly.

"Give it up," said he. "Can't guess it. But that ain't the p'int.
The p'int is, what are you goin' to give her? When I was young the
doctors used to say, When you are in doubt, give calomel--as if you
were playin' trumps."

"Nonsense, nonsense," said I, my eyes earnestly fixed upon my open
medical case.

"I suppose a mustard-plaster on the back of her neck--"

"Wouldn't do at all," I interrupted. "Wait a minute, now--yes--I know
what I will do: I will give her sodium bromide--ten grains."

"`Which will hit if it's a deer and miss if it's a calf' as the hunter
said?" inquired Uncle Beamish.

"It will certainly not injure her," said I, "and I am quite sure it
will be a positive advantage. If there has been cerebral disturbance,
which has subsided temporarily, it will assist her to tide over the
interim before its recurrence."

"All right," said Uncle Beamish, "give it to me, and I'll be off. It's
time I showed up ag'in."

He did not stay up-stairs very long this time.

"No symptoms yit, but the patient looked at me as if she wanted to say
somethin'; but she didn't git no chance, for the old lady set herself
down as if she was planted in a garden-bed and intended to stay there.
But the patient took the medicine as mild as a lamb."

"That is very good," said I. "It may be that she appreciates the
seriousness of her ewe better than we do."

"I should say she wants to git well," he replied. "She looks like that
sort of a person to me. The old woman said she thought we would have
to stay awhile till the storm slackened, and I said, yes, indeed, and
there wasn't any chance of its slackenin' to-night; besides, I wanted
to see the patient before bedtime."

At this moment the door opened and the servant-woman came in.

"She says you are to have supper, and it will be ready in about half an
hour. One of you had better go out and attend to your horse, for the
man is not coming back to-night."

"I will go to the barn," said I, rising. Uncle Beamish also rose and
said he would go with me.

"I guess you can find some hay and oats," said the woman, as we were
putting on our coats