heir line of treatment. A prescription was then
made, and careful instructions given to the nurse.

"I will call again in the course of two or three hours," said Dr.
Hillhouse, on going away. "Should any thing unfavorable occur, send to
the office immediately."

"Doctor!" Mr. Ridley laid his hand on the arm of Dr. Hillhouse. "What
of my wife?" There was a frightened look in his pale, agitated face.
His voice shook.

"She is in danger," replied the doctor.

"But you know what to do? You can control the disease? You have had
such cases before?"

"I will do my best," answered the doctor, trying to move on; but Mr.
Ridley clutched his arm tightly and held him fast:

"Is it--is it--puer-p-p--" His voice shook so that he could not
articulate the word that was on his tongue.

"I am afraid so," returned the doctor.

A deep groan broke from the lips of Mr. Ridley. His hand dropped from
the arm of Dr. Hillhouse and he stood trembling from head to foot, then
cried out in a voice of unutterable despair:

"From heaven down to hell in one wild leap! God help me!"

Dr. Hillhouse was deeply moved at this. He had felt stern and angry,
ready each moment to accuse and condemn, but the intense emotion
displayed by the husband shocked, subdued and changed his tone of
feeling.

"You must calm, yourself, my dear sir," he said. "The case looks bad,
but I have seen recovery in worse cases than this. We will do our best.
But remember that you have duties and responsibilities that must not
fail."

"Whatsoever in me lies, doctor," answered Mr. Ridley, with a sudden
calmness that seemed supernatural, "you may count on my doing. If she
dies, I am lost." There was a deep solemnity in his tones as he uttered
this last sentence. "You see, sir," he added, "what I have at stake."

"Just for the present little more can be done than to follow the
prescriptions we have given and watch their effect on the patient,"
returned Dr. Hillhouse. "If any change occurs, favorable or
unfavorable, let us know. If your presence in her room should excite or
disturb her in any way, you must prudently abstain from going near her."

The two physicians went away with but little hope in their hearts for
the sick woman. Whatever the exciting cause or causes might have been,
the disease which had taken hold of her with unusual violence presented
already so fatal a type that the issue was very doubtful.

CHAPTER VIII.

"IT is too late, I am afraid,"