s
anxiety to return home in good season being very manifest to her kind
host and hostess, they urged no further delay, and, after she had
promised to repeat her visit, she drove away with the doctor.

CHAPTER XXIII.

CARES MULTIPLIED.

"I have been thinking," said Gertrude, as she drew near home, "how we
shall manage, doctor, so as not to alarm Mrs. Sullivan."

"What's going to alarm her?" asked the doctor.

"You, if she knows at once you are a physician. I think I had better
introduce you as a friend, who brought me home in the storm."

"Oh! so we are going to act a little farce, are we? Stage manager,
Gertrude Flint--unknown stranger, Dr. Jeremy. I'm ready. What shall I
say first?"

"I leave that to a wiser head than mine, doctor, and trust entirely to
your own discretion to obtain some knowledge of her symptoms, and only
gradually disclose to her that you are a physician."

"Ah, yes! pretend at first to be only a private individual of an
inquiring mind. I can manage it." As they opened the door, Mrs. Sullivan
rose from her chair with a troubled countenance, and hardly waited for
the introduction to Gertrude's friend before she asked if Mr. Cooper
were not with them.

"No, indeed," replied Gertrude. "Hasn't he come home?"

Upon Mrs. Sullivan saying that she had not seen him since morning,
Gertrude informed her, with a composure she was far from feeling, that
Mr. Miller had undertaken the care of him, and could, undoubtedly,
account for his absence. She would seek him at once.

"Oh, I'm so sorry," said Mrs. Sullivan, "that you should have to go out
again in such a storm; but I feel very anxious about grandpa--don't you,
Gerty?"

"Not very: I think he's safe in the church. But I'll go for him at once;
you know, auntie, I never mind the weather."

"Then take my great shawl, dear." And Mrs. Sullivan went to the closet
for her shawl, giving Gertrude an opportunity to beg of Dr. Jeremy that
he would await her return; for she knew that any unusual agitation of
mind would often cause an attack of faintness in Mrs. Sullivan, and was
afraid to have her left alone, to dwell with alarm upon Mr. Cooper's
prolonged absence.

It was a very disagreeable afternoon, and already growing dark. Gertrude
hastened along the wet footpath, exposed to the blinding storm, and,
after passing through several streets, gained the church. She went into
the building, now nearly deserted by workmen, saw that Mr. Cooper was
n