at. No. But surely you must know the reasons--the
obstacles--which deter me?"

"No, I don't," she said, calm with the advantage of his perturbation.
"But if you refuse, that is sufficient. I will not inquire your reasons.
I will simply withdraw my request."

"Thank you. But I beg you to understand that they have no reference
whatever to you in--your own--capacity--character--individual quality.
They are purely professional--that is, technical--I should say
disciplinary,--entirely disciplinary. Yes, disciplinary." The word
seemed to afford Dr. Mulbridge the degree of relief which can come only
from an exactly significant and luminously exegetic word.

"I don't at all know what you mean," said Grace. "But it is not
necessary that I should know. Will you allow me?" she asked, for Dr.
Mulbridge had got between her and the door, and stood with his hand on
the latch.

His face flushed, and drops stood on his forehead. "Surely, Miss--I mean
Doctor--Breen, you must know why I can't consult with you! We belong to
two diametrically opposite schools--theories--of medicine. It would be
impracticable--impossible for us to consult. We could find no common
ground. Have you never heard that the--ah regular practice cannot meet
homoeopathists in this way? If you had told me--if I had known--you were
a homoeopathist, I could n't have considered the matter at all. I can't
now express any opinion as to your management of the case, but I have no
doubt that you will know what to do--from your point of view--and that
you will prefer to call in some one of your own--persuasion. I hope that
you don't hold me personally responsible for this result!"

"Oh, no!" replied the girl, with a certain dreamy abstraction. "I had
heard that you made some such distinction--I remember, now. But I could
n't realize anything so ridiculous."

Dr. Mulbridge colored. "Excuse me," he said, "if, even under the
circumstances, I can't agree with you that the position taken by the
regular practice is ridiculous."

She did not make any direct reply. "But I supposed that you only made
this distinction, as you call it, in cases where there is no immediate
danger; that in a matter of life and death you would waive it. Mrs.
Maynard is really--"

"There are no conditions under which I could not conscientiously refuse
to waive it."

"Then," cried Grace, "I withdraw the word! It is not ridiculous. It is
monstrous, atrocious, inhuman!"

A light of humorous irony g