h. I was sorry to leave him,
for I had already felt quite an affection for him, independently of the
interest I took in his case.

And who was this young lady that I was called upon to visit in such a
hurry? I had never seen her, but for the sake of my friend who had
benefited me in so many ways in the commencement of my career, I could
not do otherwise than leave town for a short time.

I tried to picture to myself my new patient--some bread-and-butter girl
with the mumps, hysteria, whooping-cough, or chicken-pox. The picture I
mentally drew of my lady patient was not sentimental; but, the fact
was, I was irritated at being obliged to leave such an interesting case
as that in which I was engaged. During the course of my drive I entered
into conversation with the driver. I asked him if he knew Squire L----.
He replied in the affirmative.

"Let me see," said I, pretending not to know the squire over well, in
order to draw him out, "the squire has no family, I think?"

"None of his own, sir. He has one adopted daughter, a foundling, found
somewhere near Stratford-on-Avon. The squire has adopted her ever since,
and----"

"What age is the young lady?"

"Well, sir, she must now be hard upon four-and-twenty, though she did
not look it last time I saw her."

"As old as that!" I exclaimed. "Then she will be getting married soon, I
suppose?"

"Not she, sir."

"Why not?" I asked. "Isn't she personally attractive?"

"Oh, I believe you, sir," said the coachman, enthusiastically, and
turning up his eyes. "There is not a face in the whole place for miles
round that can hold a candle to her."

"Indeed!" I exclaimed. "The squire is rich, too, as I hear, and I
suppose she will be his heiress. What is your reason for believing that
she will not marry?"

"Why, sir, she has such ill health; she never leaves the house. Folks
say as how she will never recover."

"Indeed, and how long has she been thus?"

"About a year ago she was first seized; since then I have not seen her.
When I last saw her wasn't she a beauty, neither!"

"I suppose this illness will have pulled her down a little. By the by,
what is the nature of her complaint?"

"Well, I hardly know, sir, and that's the truth, what it is that do ail
her. Some folks call it consumption, others call it something else."

"Who is her medical attendant?" I asked.

"Doctor W----, sir; lives down yonder."

"What does he say it is?"

"'Pon my word, sir, I don't think